To The Left Or The Right That is the Question
by redjagglerock
Summary: What happens when the girls get together and muse about a Commander?
1. The Challenge

A/N: I figured I would get this out before I find out that Harm and Mac aren't together and I thoroughly lose my muse. I totally blame the other girls in my group for the inspiration for this specific story. One in particular, and she knows who she is! Hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

**JAG HQ **

**Falls Church, VA**

Mac walks into JAG HQ in dire need of a cup of coffee. She didn't get much sleep last night. Partly from the research of the girls' latest project, but more due to the fact of the dreams that such research conjured up.

Harriet enters JAG OPS a few minutes later, also exhibiting signs of lack of sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, Carolyn Imes walks in looking worse than something the cat drug in.

It isn't until after 10am, when Sturgis and Harm are facing off in court, that the girls end up together in the break room in search of liquid caffeine. They look at each other, and all three sport wide grins, remembering yesterday's debate at lunch after a certain Commander walked by looking absolutely delicious in Navy Summer Whites.

* * *

_********Flashback to lunch yesterday********_

_**Harriet, Carolyn, and Mac are enjoying a leisurely lunch in the courtyard in front of JAG OPS. They are discussing this and that, and giggling amicably, when Harm parks his crimson red vintage Corvette in his designated spot. He exits the drivers' side and then bends over to retrieve his briefcase from inside the car. Carolyn inhales sharply and her whole face turns beet red. It takes Harriet and Mac a minute to notice what she is staring so intently at.**_

_**Harriet questions, "Nice view, Carolyn?"**_

_**Carolyn breaks out of her musings, "OH…YES! Wait, What?"**_

_**Harriet and Mac smile at her discomfiture. Across the parking lot, Harm notices them and starts walking over, before he is intercepted by Sturgis. Harm ends up standing there, in his wide legged stance with all three ladies glancing over at him.**_

_**Harriet asks, "What do you think ladies? Does he dress to the right or to the left?"**_

_**Mac looks at her quizzically, "What do you mean?"**_

_**Carolyn laughs outright, "What she is truly asking is do you think it hangs to the left or to the right?"**_

_**Mac spits out her water, "You are kidding me, right?"**_

_**Harriet grins with a gleam in her eyes, "So…which do you think? I'm thinking he leans to the left."**_

_**Carolyn smiles, "Nah, I think it's to the right.**_

_**Both ladies look at Mac for the tiebreaker. Mac stands up to gather her lunch, "I am not looking at my partner that way, and I have no comment to add to this discussion!"**_

_**As Mac walks back into JAG HQ, Carolyn and Harriet turn their eyes back to the subject of discussion. Carolyn raises her eyebrow in question. Harriet coyly replies, "Oh yeah, she was definitely looking!"**_

_********End Flashback********_

* * *

Carolyn is the first to break the ice, "So Mac, are you still going to deny looking yesterday?

Mac confesses, "Yes! But, after our talk yesterday, I decided that I needed to do a little research. So, I went home and spent a good half an hour looking through my photo albums staring at "that" specific region. I also discovered that his cover seems to be conveniently covering that area in many of the pictures. Even after scrutinizing several, with a microscope I might add, I honestly couldn't make a determination.

Harriet chimes in, "A half hour! I looked for over 2 hours! I even invited over my real estate agent, who called him "quite the hunk", to assist and we couldn't come up with a definitive answer either. "

Carolyn laughs, "You are a happily married woman, you shouldn't have spent 2 minutes, let alone 2 hours on this."

Harriet grins mischievously, "Hey what can I say? My husband is deployed and I needed a little excitement. Besides, I can look all I want, I just can't touch."

Mac chuckles, "Ok, I'll be sure to remind Bud of that the next time he is on a topless beach."

Harriet starts at her flabbergasted, "You will not!"

Carolyn teases, "So, what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander."

Harriet relents, "Touché."

Mac asks, "Carolyn, you are looking a little under the weather today, what's the matter?

Carolyn sports a wide grin, "I spent all night looking for an answer, and I didn't get any sleep!"

Mac isn't sure whether to be jealous of another JAG lawyer scrutinizing her partner so intently or not, "All night?"

Carolyn slyly remarks, "Yes, there are many angles to examine. I had to make sure that every contour and ridge of the evidence was inspected."

Harriet chuckles, "UM, I don't think any of my pictures could have shown that much detail since he was clothed in all of them, is there something we should know?"

Carolyn sighs, "I wish! I'm not that lucky! However, since we can't look too closely in person without it becoming painfully obvious what we are doing, there is a simple solution to this dilemma."

Simultaneously Harriet and Mac ask, "What's that?"

Carolyn smiles like the cat that ate the canary, "Someone just needs to run their hand up the inside of his thigh on one side and see if they run into anything. Either that or find an excuse to put your hand in one of his pockets."

Mac stares at her with disbelief, "Are you kidding me!?"

Carolyn innocently replies, "Nope, and Mac, you will have to be the one to do it."

Mac starts shaking her head vehemently, "Why me?"

Carolyn responds, "Because, you are the person he is closest to. Harriet can't do it because she is married, and I wouldn't have a reasonable excuse for going into his pockets or touching his leg."

Mac exclaims, "I can't do that!"

Harriet chuckles, "And here I thought Marines didn't back down from a challenge!"

Mac just raises her eyebrow, and smiles as she walks out of the breakroom.

TBC

So what do you think, is this Marine up to challenge?


	2. Strongly Worded Suggestion

A/N: There are some days I seriously wonder if I have lost my mind! I know that Carolyn Imes wasn't at JAG HQ when Bud was deployed, but I like her spunky character, so chalk it up to Author's Privilege. Also, some of the medical research I did before I started writing this story was pointed out by a reviewer as well, part of it will be mentioned now.

* * *

**JAG HQ - Breakroom**

**Falls Church, VA**

Since Mac isn't looking where she is going, she doesn't notice the 6'4" wall in her path, and she walks straight into the subject of their discussion. Harriet and Carolyn both abruptly turn around, and start aimlessly looking through cupboards. Mac thinks, 'Oh shit, how much of that did he hear?'

Harms grasps Mac's shoulders, trying to stabilize her, so that she doesn't fall. "Steady There, Marine." He manages to keep her upright, unfortunately, the cup of coffee she is holding isn't so lucky. About a quarter of the cup sloshes out, and ends up trickling down his previously immaculate set of summer whites, all over his chest, abs, and slightly lower. Mac immediately blushes.

Carolyn sees this as the perfect opportunity, and quickly passes Mac a dishtowel, "Here, use this to help clean it up before it gets worse. I'll see if I can find some seltzer water."

Mac presses the towel into Harm's chest, "I'm sorry, I'm running late, I have to get to the Walker deposition." She rushes out of the breakroom, very embarrassed, and calls over her shoulder, "I'm really very sorry, Harm!"

Harm stands there for a minute completely befuddled as he hears Mac's office door slam shut. He looks at Carolyn and Harriet, "What was that all about?"

Harriet acts just as surprised as Harm, and responds quickly, "I have no idea, Sir."

Carolyn looks up at Harm with the seltzer water in her hand, "Can I help you clean that up, Harm?"

Harriet tries to slide by Harm to exit the breakroom before this already awkward situation gets worse, "If you'll excuse me, Commanders, I will see you later."

Harm reaches for the seltzer water that CDR Imes is holding, "Thanks for the offer Carolyn, but I'm a big boy, and I can manage it myself."

Carolyn hands him the seltzer water, murmuring under her breath as she leaves the kitchen, "I'll just bet you are."

The Admiral walks in the breakroom, takes one look at the Commander's soiled uniform, and grumps, "Did we relax the dress code around here today, Commander?"

Harm replies sheepishly, "Sorry sir, this is the consequence of trying to dance with a distracted Marine."

The Admiral leans against the counter, "I guess I should sign you two up for dancing lessons then."

Harm is at a loss, he and Mac have never had any problems dancing, other than the tangled dance of their relationship, "Sir?"

The Admiral brusquely states, "Well, there is an official function coming up in a few months, and we can't very well have either you or Mac embarrassing JAG with soiled dress uniforms. You guys will need to be in sync. I think a lesson in coordination will do you both some good. In the meantime, fix today's uniform before Admiral Morris has you up on contempt charges in court this afternoon."

Harm snaps to attention, "Aye, Aye, Sir!" On the way to his office, he notices that Mac's door is closed and the lights are out. She must have left for her deposition already. Oh well, he will call her later to inform her of the Admiral's "suggestion." He has to admit; he is actually looking forward to it. Plus, at the dance studio, they will be in civvies, any excuse to hold Mac closer than normal protocol dictates is an added bonus. Maybe he can use this opportunity to move their relationship forward. Right now, however, he needs to go grab a spare uniform out of his car, and get changed before court resumes. As luck would have it, something made him pick up his dry cleaning this morning on the way in. Perhaps all the stars were lining up for a reason. All he has to do now was make sure he doesn't screw it up!

Harm completely misses the grin on the Admiral's face after he leaves the kitchen.

**JAG HQ - Conference Room 1**

**Falls Church, VA**

Mac is in the conference room with her absolute favorite adversary (NOT), Lt. Loren Singer, for the Walker deposition. It isn't even lunch time yet, and her day has already gone from bad to worse. How in the world did she let Carolyn and Harriet rope her into this crazy discussion of theirs in the first place? Now it is all she can think about. She was so distracted that she had literally walked headfirst into the object of her preoccupied mind! What is she going to do now? It will be hard enough to face him after her little display in the breakroom, but that isn't what has her scared. Not knowing how much he overheard before she ran into him is what makes her want to run for the hills. She needs to snap herself out of her daze and pay attention to this deposition, she can figure out the "Harm" situation later. Mac refuses to give Little Miss "I'm going to be the first female JAG" any leverage to use against her. She really wishes that the Admiral had sent this witch to the Seahawk instead of Bud, but she knows it is a great opportunity for Bud, even if the rest of them have to suffer for it.

Lt Singer is still fuming from being passed over for the billet onboard a carrier that went to the Lt. Righteous Roberts. She needs to find a way to get into the Admirals' good graces again. Winning a case against either of the tops dogs, Rabb and Mackenzie, would definitely be a step in the right direction. She notices that the Colonel seems off in her own little world right now. Maybe she can use this to her advantage.

**JAG HQ - Courtyard**

**Falls Church, VA**

Carolyn and Harriet are having lunch in the courtyard again, when Harm comes running out his car for a fresh uniform, a key chain dangling from his left hand.

As he bends inside the vehicle, Carolyn gets a shit eating grin, "God that man has a gorgeous six!"

Harriet cries, "Carolyn!"

She smiles coyly, "What? He does! A girl can fantasize you know!"

Harriet blushes, "Yes, I know. Did you know that medical studies show that on most men, the left testicle hangs lower than the right?"

Carolyn questions, "Really?"

Harriet replies, "Yes, this is because most men are right handed"

Carolyn asks, "So, do you think the Commander is left handed or right handed?"

Harriet ponders this for a moment, "I really don't know. At the JAG softball game, he threw with his right hand. But I've also seen him write with his left, and he was just dangling his key chain from his left hand. Maybe he is ambidextrous."

Carolyn laughs, "A guy who is equally talented with both of his hands? I could definitely use a man like that!"

Harriet sighs, desperately missing her husband, "I think we all could." She adds, "Do you think the Colonel is going to take us up on the challenge?"

Carolyn shrugs, "I've never known a Marine to back down from a challenge, but I don't think Mac is going to step up to the plate on this one."

Harriet knows her best friend too well, and she overheard the Admiral mention the dance lessons to Harm. "I'm pretty sure she will, when the opportunity presents itself."

Carolyn grins, "Care to put a wager on it?"

Harriet wonders which item she wants to put a wager on, "On the challenge itself or the outcome?"

Carolyn smiles, "Either, both."

Harriet asks, "Terms?"

Carolyn thinks for a moment then answers, "If you win, I'll baby-sit AJ for an entire weekend. If I win, you have to set me up on a blind date with the best-looking man that you know. And neither of us is ever allowed to mention this wager to Harm or Mac."

Harriet considers this for a moment. She would love to have a free weekend just to herself. She puts on a brave face, but taking care of AJ all on her own since Bud deployed has been exhausting. She also knows several intelligent, good looking men that she could easily introduce Carolyn to. And she has every expectation that Mac will rise to the challenge, and come out victorious. "I accept the terms for the challenge piece, I'm not willing to wager on the outcome!"

Carolyn nods, accepting the terms. "Fair enough, may the best lady win!"

Harriet inwardly smiles as she knows the best lady will win, but it won't be her, or Carolyn!


	3. Twinkle Toes

A/N: It's a shame I can't reply to guest reviewers, as a lovely guest wrote about a measuring tip that I heard of several years ago. It made me laugh! Good advice for anyone who was unaware, although it's not entirely accurate! I'm also curious as to what LEO stands for. I'm a Leo as my astrological sign, but I'm sure that is not what they meant. I'm assuming Law Enforcement Officer, but if anyone else has any other ideas, let me know! I'm fully aware that this "suggestion" wouldn't be a lawful order, but this is fiction!

* * *

**JAG HQ**

**Falls Church, VA**

Mac is fuming as she exits the conference room from the Walker deposition. That little witch tried to sandbag her! At least it was only in a deposition, and not in court. She will definitely not underestimate her again! She enters her office to find a sticky note on her monitor, "I'll be in court the rest of the afternoon, thankfully in a clean uniform. You will pay for that one, Ninja-Girl! I need to talk to you about a 'suggestion' from the Admiral. My place, 1700 hours, I'll cook something fit for a carnivore. See you tonight! Harm."

Mac arches her eyebrow, wondering what in the world this could be about. At least he didn't mention anything from the breakroom incident other than his soiled uniform, so maybe she was in the clear. Not wanting to walk into yet another situation unprepared, she buzzes the Admiral's yeoman, "Tiner, I need to see the Admiral when he has a moment."

Tiner does a quick check with the Admiral, "Colonel Mackenzie would like a word with you, Sir."

Admiral Chegwidden smiles broadly. He silently wonders how she heard already, as he knows CDR Rabb has been in court since he made his "suggestion", and she has been in depositions. 'Oh well, better get this over with now,' he thinks. He yells to Tiner, "Tell her I can see her now."

Tiner calls Mac back, "Colonel, the Admiral says he can see you now."

Mac squares her shoulder and heads to the Admiral's office. Tiner opens the door, announcing her, and she stands at attention in front of her Commanding Officer.

The Admiral remarks, "At ease, Mac. Take a seat. What can I do for you?"

Mac sits down, trying to find a way to broach the subject. "Permission to speak freely, Sir."

The Admiral eyes her warily, "Permission, granted."

Mac starts, "I received a note from Commander Rabb that you have a recommendation for us?"

The Admiral replies, |That would be correct, Colonel. I told the Commander that I want the two of you to sign up for some formal dance lessons."

Mac's eyebrows raise to her hairline, this is definitely not something she expected. "Dancing lessons, Sir? You cannot be serious! The Commander and I have danced together at several official functions in the past and have never been an embarrassment to JAG. The Embassy dinners and Surface Warfare Ball come to mind as perfect examples where we exhibited nothing but the highest level of decorum."

The Admiral grumps, "That may be true, Colonel, but that was several years ago. After that 'Twinkle toes' display you put on earlier today, I think a refresher course is necessary. You two have obviously lost your rhythm. I just want you to have it back before the next official need arises where it will need to be demonstrated."

Mac is beside herself, "But, Sir!"

The Admiral rises to his full height, "Lock it up, Marine!"

Mac immediately jumps out of her seat and stands at attention. The Admiral comes around his desk and stand beside her, "You and the Commander will sign up for these lessons before the end of the week. Is that clear?"

Mac grits her teeth, "Yes, sir."

The Admiral reaches for a paper on his desk and hands it to her. "Here is the name of a studio that is of equal distance between your apartments. The lead instructor there is a very nice woman. Talk it over with the Commander and let me know when you will be starting."

Mac sighs, "Aye Aye, Sir."

The Admiral announces, "Dismissed!"

Mac marches out of the office annoyed as humanly possible. She is going to kill Harriet and Carolyn for putting her in this situation!

The Admiral chuckles as the pissed off Marine leaves his office. He secretly loves it when a plan comes together. Now, he just has to figure out when to place his bet in the office pool.


	4. Squids Don't Duck They Throw Covers

**JAG HQ**

**Falls Church, VA**

The sharp clicking of Mac's regulation pumps against the linoleum floor echoes throughout the bullpen as she exits the Admiral's office and makes her way to her own sanctuary. If that isn't enough of an indicator to her present mood, the slamming of her office door surely is.

Singer gets off the elevator, and enters the bullpen extremely irritated with the exculpatory evidence she just received that she now has to hand over to Colonel MacKenzie in the Walker case. She walks over to Harriet's desk and agitatedly asks, "Do you know if Colonel MacKenzie is done with the Admiral yet?"

Harriet nods towards Mac's closed door, "She just came out a couple of minutes ago, but I wouldn't go near her right now."

Singer slightly raises her eyebrow in question, but Harriet doesn't offer any further details. Lt. Witch should be happy that Harriet gave her any kind of warning at all. Harriet is still pissed at Singer for the way she cleaned out Bud's office to claim it as her own.

Since Singer isn't in a very good mood herself, therefore, she doesn't see any reason to make the Colonel's life any easier. Misery loves company. The evidence she has to turn over can just as easily be given to the Colonel tomorrow. As she turns towards her office, she tells Harriet over her shoulder, "Thanks for the heads up."

Harriet mutters under her breath, "I should have just let her walk into the lion's den without any warning."

Mac rubs her temples, trying to stave off the headache that is already forming, when someone knocks on her door. Not sure which object of her ire is on the other side, she silently wills them to go away. Harm is in court all afternoon, so it can't be him, and Sturgis is the same place Harm is. If it's Lt. Sims, she is going to get the dressing down of her career. Carolyn, well, they are the same rank, so she will just have to think about that one. She wants to completely ignore the knocking, but it could very well be the Admiral coming to ream her a new one for the temper tantrum she just threw as she left his office. Maybe not conduct unbecoming, but definitely not typical officer behavior either. Unfortunately, the persistent thumping on her door hasn't ceased, and she draws upon every ounce of military decorum she has to state, "Enter" through gritted teeth.

Tiner sighs deeply before walking in and standing at attention in front of the Colonel's desk, silently cursing the Admiral for the mood he put the Colonel in. He only hopes that the Colonel doesn't take it out on him. He makes a mental note to stop at the drugstore on his way home, he needs his own bottle of aspirin.

Mac looks up from her desk, completely surprised at who her visitor is, "At ease, Tiner. What can I do for you?"

Tiner hands her a note, "The Admiral asked me to give you this Ma'am."

Mac unfolds the piece of paper, listing the contact information and address for All2Dance Studio. She audibly sighs, "Thank you Tiner, dismissed."

Tiner does an about face, and quietly closes the Colonel's door behind him, thanking his lucky stars that he got away unscathed.

Harriet sees Tiner exit the Colonel's office, and decides that a little reconnaissance of her own is needed. She takes a stack of folders that require the Admiral's signature over to Petty Officer Tiner's desk. She leans over and quietly asks, "So what's the word?"

Tiner stammers, "Ma'am?"

Harriet resists the urge to tap her foot at him. There are definitely some occasions that Tiner reminds her of a two-year-old. He simply cannot be that oblivious! "What did the Admiral say that has the Colonel so upset?"

Tiner replies, "I'm not entirely sure, Ma'am."

Harriet rolls her eyes at him, "You must know something, Petty Officer."

Tiner starts, "I…." before being saved from any more of the Lieutenant's interrogation when the Admiral opens his door looking inquisitively between the two of them.

Harriet straightens her spine, "Good Afternoon, Admiral. I was dropping off some folders that need your John Hancock."

The Admiral eyes her warily before stating, "Ok, bring them in, and close the hatch. There is something I need to discuss with you."

While Harriet is in with the Admiral, Colonel Mackenzie is doing a little searching of her own on the Internet in relation to the slip of paper that Tiner gave her. Hopefully, All2Dance Studio offers a wide range of classes. She assumes that ballroom will be offered, but she chuckles at the thought of Harm trying to dance his way through a hip-hop class. Somehow, she can't see him dropping his ass to the floor or doing the Tootsie Roll, but she would get a good laugh out of seeing him try! She suddenly realizes that this is the first time she has smiled almost all day. The thought only lasts for a moment though, when her internal clock kicks in to tell her that it's time to secure for the day in order to be able to meet Harm on time at his apartment for dinner. The rest of her research will have to wait for later.

**Mac's Corvette**

**I-66 E**

On her drive home from work, sitting in beltway traffic, Mac's anger resurfaces with a vengeance. How can the Admiral even think that they can do this? They are still trying to get their footing back after the departure of Mic and Renee. Perhaps that is his point, they need to get their footing back, both literally and figuratively. She sighs audibly as she realizes that there are far worse things than being held closely in the arms of the man that you love. Maybe these classes won't be so bad after all.

**Harm's Apartment**

**North of Union Station**

Mac arrives at Harm's apartment for dinner just as he returns from shopping, his arms full of grocery bags, and a small smile on his face. She can't control the butterflies in her stomach, whether they are from nerves or anticipation, she is unsure. Just the sight of him quiets the anger that she has been carrying around most of the day.

Mac thinks to herself, 'What a shame, he has no free hand to open the door. I'll just have to get the keys out of his pocket.' She offers, "Harm let me get the door, just tell me which pocket your keys are in, and I'll grab them."

Harm looks at her like she has suddenly grown another head as he precariously balances the bags against the wall outside his apartment. He silently wonders, 'She has her own key to my place, and she knows where I keep the spare, why the hell is she asking me which pocket mine are in?' He asks her, "Don't you have your key? If not, just grab the spare one I hide for emergencies."

Mac sighs is frustration. Damn! Well, that blew that plan right out of the water. Why can't this stupid Squid ever make anything easy? She rummages through her purse and produces her key. "Scoot over, Flyboy, so I can open the door."

Harm moves out her way as she unlocks and opens the door. Keeping one of the bags balanced on his knee, he motions for her to go ahead of him.

Mac walks in and sets her purse and coat down like she was just here yesterday. It's amazing that she still feels so comfortable in his apartment even though it has been quite a while she has visited him. It still feels like a second home to her, regardless of how long it has been. She inquires, "So what are we having for dinner?"

Harm sets his bags on the counter, and tosses his cover toward the coat rack, sailing it over Mac's head. It unerringly catches the hook. She squats down as the object flies over her head. Harm chuckles, "I thought Marine's didn't duck."

Mac smiles, "I wasn't ducking, I was taking cover."

Harm laughs as he gestures to the rungs next to the front door, "Really? My cover is over there, not in your hand, so you didn't take cover very well."

Mac walks over and swats him in the arm. It is so nice to have a small glimpse of their banter back, even if it is still slightly off. "You didn't answer me, Squid, what are we having for dinner?"

Harm smiles, "That's my Marine, her stomach leads the charge. I picked up some fresh shrimp. I was thinking we would have grilled shrimp, rice pilaf, and an arugula salad with homemade vinaigrette."

Mac is shocked, she was expecting something pasta related. Her mouth waters as he details the ingredients for their dinner. She really has missed Harm's cooking, well everything except his toxic meatless meatloaf. Since Mic left, her normal fare has been TV dinners, pizza, and Chinese takeout. It's been a really long time since she had a good home cooked meal. "You're feeding me protein? What's the occasion?"

Harm stops short as he pulls the salad dressing ingredients out of the fridge. He'd like to feed her some protein all right, and it's not shrimp sized either. He shakes his head in an attempt to clear the slightly carnal thoughts he is having. "I just figured it had been a long time since we had dinner together and I felt like something a little different. You don't mind, do you?"

Mac hoists herself onto a bar stool, so that she can watch him as he starts preparing their dinner. She can't resist teasing him a little, "Not at all, but I did have my heart set on a nice big fat juicy steak when you said you would be cooking something fit for a carnivore."

Harm chuckles, "I'm feeding you meat, just not the artery clogging type."

Mac's thoughts absentmindedly wander to other types of meat he could feed her, but those would be best served in bed, not the kitchen. Before she lets her desirous thoughts consume her, she decides to change the direction of the conversation to the reason for his invitation to dinner tonight. "So, do you have any idea why the Admiral thought we should take dancing lessons together?"

Harm scoffs, "I guess he mentioned it to you too. My guess is that he thinks we've lost our rhythm."

Mac grunts at his insinuation, "Maybe you have, but I sure haven't." She lightens it up a little, "Besides, you were bound to lose your mojo sooner or later. After all, you are an old man."

Harm sighs, "He meant our rhythm together, Mac. Admit it, we aren't as in sync as we used to be. And I am not an old man!" He thinks to himself, 'If I was sure she wouldn't deck me, I would drag her the few shorts steps to my bed and show her just how young I really am!' Why is he all of a sudden having all these lewd thoughts about Mac? He really needs to reign himself in before she causes more bodily harm than just a swat on his arm.

Mac admits to herself that he is right. While they have been back on the road to where their friendship used to be before the Video Princess and Bugme entered their lives, they haven't yet reached their old level of comfort. She hopes that when they get there this time, that they will surpass where they have previously been, and surge forward to a future together as a couple.


	5. Academy Traditions

_A/N: Thanks to a reviewer for a little bit of Naval Academy history. I was intrigued, so I did a little more research. I hope I got all the details correct._

* * *

Harm finishes chopping the vegetables for the salad, and grabs two bottles of water and the arugula out of the fridge. He sets a bottle in front of Mac and asks, "did the Admiral happen to mention what type of dance lessons we should be taking?"

Mac takes the top off of the proffered water and sneaks a swig before saying, "I'm assuming he wants us to take ballroom dancing since those are typically the types of dances we would be doing at official functions."

Harm scoffs, "I've already taken ballroom dancing lessons."

Mac looks at him, intrigued, "Really? I thought you just learned from watching what was required. I can't see you voluntarily agreeing to actually go to lessons."

Harm smiles, thoroughly enjoying the fact that he can still surprise her, "I took them when I was at the Academy in preparation for the ring dance. A dance is held in our junior year when we are 2nd Class Midshipmen. It's an annual formal event, that began back in 1925, where we receive our Academy rings. All midshipmen bless the rings by dipping them into the "waters of the seven seas," a bowl of water collected from the seven seas. Ships from the fleet bring back water from those seas to replenish the supply."

Mac looks away as she quietly asks, "Did you take Diane?"

Harm grasps her hands in his, and stays quiet until she looks at him, "I did."

Mac sighs, "I'm sorry Harm, I didn't mean to dredge up painful memories."

Harm gives her hands a quick squeeze, "You didn't. The ring dance was like a rite of passage for me. But, even with all the pomp and circumstance, the dance was fun. Sturgis brought a girl that his father had recommended, and she refused to wear his ring around her neck. Apparently, she wasn't all that into him. Keeter kept stepping on his date's feet, and she decided to pay him back by stomping on his foot with her six-inch heels. He was still complaining about his foot hurting three days later. Once we had dipped the rings in the water, we were allowed to wear them all the time, supposedly symbolizing our marriage to the Navy."

Mac rolls her eyes, and then teases, "Oh, so you have been married before. And here I thought you were one of the most eligible bachelors out there this whole time."

Harm laughs, "Oh, but of course. Didn't you know that if the Navy wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one?"

Mac continues their banter, she really missed this. "Does that mean you can't have a wife until you are out of the Navy?"

Harm thinks about this for a moment before responding, "Nah. If I can ever convince a woman to put up with me for the rest of her life, she will just have to live with me having the Navy as a mistress."

Mac bursts out laughing, "You mean she would have to put up with you and a mistress? That's a pretty tall order there, Sailor."

Harm gives her a full flyboy grin, "Well, she does get a tall drink of water to go with it! That has to count for something."

Mac smiles, "Yes, I suppose that is true." She solemnly adds, "Do you think you will ever find someone?"

He looks deep into her eyes and cryptically answers, "I think when the time is right, everything will work out as it should."

Mac, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the depth of their conversation, hops off the bar stool, and goes in search of plates to set the table. She decides to shift the conversation back to the dancing lessons, "By the way, the Admiral gave me the name of a studio. In the small amount of time I had to research the place before heading over here, it looks like they offer a wide range of classes."

Harm, thankful for the shift in conversation also, walks the salad over and sets it on the table. He queries, "So what days and times would work best for you?"

Mac walks over and sets the plates and silverware on the table, "I'm pretty flexible most nights." As she walks back to grab the glasses she thinks, 'Did I really just say that?'

With her back turned away from him, she misses the raised eyebrow that Harm gives at her double meaning. He silently wonders just how flexible she really is! Harm agrees, "I'm free most nights too, unless Sturgis feels the need to have his butt whooped at the gym, so give a call to the studio and set something up within the next week."

Mac tosses over her shoulder, "Ok, I will do that and let you know."

Harm smiles, "I'll be there with bells on."

Harm heads over to the kitchen to grab the shrimp and rice, and gets there just as Mac is turning back from the cupboard with the glasses in her hand. They bump into each other, electricity sizzling between them, as Harm wraps his arm around her waist to steady her. He quietly says, "Steady there, Marine," as he resists the temptation to bend down and brush his lips against hers.

Mac is flushed from head to toe at the simple contact. She can't wait for these lessons to start so that his arms will be wrapped around her all the time. She just wishes it was being done of his own free will and not because they were ordered to do so. She looks up at him through her long eyelashes and whispers, "Let's eat" before stepping out of his embrace.

Over dinner, they discuss how Harm's trial is going and how Mac is putting together info for the Walker defense.

Harm chuckles, "You have my deepest sympathies, but I have no doubt that you will be victorious over Lt. Witch."

Mac sighs, "I hope so, but the deposition today didn't make me feel too hot about my chances."

Harm gives her a quick wink, "Tomorrow will be a brighter day, I can sense it already."

Mac smiles at Harm's optimism. Today was a terrible day all the way around, but the night has been fantastic.

After dinner, Harm and Mac are in the kitchen cleaning up. He is washing the dishes, and she is drying them, and they are working in complete harmony together. He decides to make a suggestion. "Hey Mac, should I put some music on when we are done cleaning up? That way we can assess how out of practice we are at dancing together before we embarrass ourselves in front of others."

Mac giggles, "Sure Flyboy, just don't step on my feet with your size 13 shoe!"

Harm counters, "Well, as long as you let me lead, we will be fine."

Mac looks at him like he has grown another head, "the last time I let you lead, we almost got killed. Besides, Marines are supposed to lead the way, the Navy just provides the ride to get us there." She chuckles to herself, 'If only I could get him to lead with the head between his legs instead of the one on his shoulders.'

Harm raises his eyebrow thinking, 'I'll give this Marine a ride alright, anywhere she wants to go.' As he walks over to the stereo, he tells her, "Well let's see how rusty the Marine is before she goes storming any beaches."


	6. The Practice Session

_A/N: While I strive to not have grammatical errors, I do appreciate when folks point it out. However, if you leave a review, please leave feedback on the story CONTENT itself, as well as the things I need to fix. I truly appreciate those who take the time to drop a note and let me know what they think! I have corrected chapter 5 to state "rite" of passage instead of "right" of passage. Sorry, blame it on the story title, not that I'm saying yet which way we are leaning. On with the story!_

* * *

**Harm's Apartment**

**North of Union Station**

Harm walks over to the stereo and realizes that the light blues CD he currently has in the player will not bode too well for a waltz. He flips through his collection until he finds a classical compilation containing works from Strauss, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and others. He places that CD in the player. He purposely passes over "Old Blue Eyes" even though it would have been suitable. As the music starts to fill the room, he turns towards Mac, slightly bows, and extends his hand in invitation. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

Mac tries not to laugh at his gesture. Harm is always the officer and a gentleman, but this is a little silly. She decides to play along and places her hand in his as she curtsies, "You may, good sir."

Harm gives her hand a slight tug, and Mac gasps as he pulls her flush against him. He holds her there only for a moment before taking a step back. He slides one arm around her, slightly higher than waist level, and he extends their other arms to resemble a plane wing. Mac giggles at his positioning, "Are you taking me flying, Sailor?"

Harm folds their arms in, bending at the elbows to create a frame, and whispers in her ear, "Nah, I'll promise to keep your feet on the ground, Marine, but you might feel like you are flying." He doesn't give her a chance to respond, as he starts leading her in a slow waltz around the room.

Mac is simply amazed at how fluently their bodies move together after all this time. She may not be flying, but she definitely feels like she is floating. Their bodies have instinctively melded closer together, inch by glorious inch, over the course of the song. At this point, she's not quite sure where she ends and he begins. Her mission from earlier this evening is completely forgotten as she melts in his arms. If she was thinking clearly, she would realize that she only needs to move her hips slightly forward in order to answer the burning question. As the next tune begins to play, she quietly says, "I guess we aren't as rusty as the Admiral thought after all."

Harm is mesmerized by the woman he is holding. She simply takes his breath away. He can smell the faint hint of vanilla in her hair, and a lingering fresh scent from her perfume. He needs to put a little distance between them, or she will soon realize the effect this dance is having on him as well. All he can do is mutely nod in response. They are definitely in sync, too much so for his current comfort level. In a move she isn't expecting, Harm suddenly releases his grip around her waist, and sends her in a dizzying spin away from him, still holding tightly to her hand.

Mac chuckles at his unanticipated change of direction, "Hey Squid, I don't think that is a standard move for a waltz. Maybe you do need a refresher course after all!"

Harm gapes at her, and quickly spins her back to him. He then dips her low to the ground, and can't resist giving her a quick peck on her pouty lips. As he raises her back up to his level, he tells her, "The customary waltz is boring, and I am a master at improvisation. Just wait until you see how I can change up the other standard ballroom dances. Lessons indeed!"

Mac smiles at his impromptu kiss, and the lightening of the mood. He really is a better dancer than she ever gave him credit for. "I'll look forward to being your partner. But you might find that I can shake things up a bit also. Don't think I am always going to let you lead! However, it is getting late, and I should be heading home soon. You have court tomorrow, and I have more to prepare for the Walker trial."

Harm sighs, he really isn't ready to let her go yet, but he knows she is right. Still lightly holding onto her, he asks, "Can I interest you in a cup of java before you head out?"

Mac gives him a coy smile, "Only if it isn't your watered-down version of a cup of joe. And, you have some chocolate to go with it."

Harm quickly kisses her forehead, as he releases her to head to the kitchen. "You and your stomach! I'll see what I can find."

Mac is immediately chilled when he lets her go. She isn't sure if it's from the loss of the warmth of his body, or from the empty feeling she gets when he isn't touching her. It is almost like a part of her soul is missing. She sits on the barstool, and they converse over the plans for tomorrow, while enjoy some coffee. Mac is also indulging in a piece of chocolate cake that Harm just happened to have in the fridge. Knowing he does not have much of a sweet tooth, she is fully aware that he picked it up just for her. When it is time for her to go, Harm helps her into her coat, and gives her a lingering kiss on the top of her head as he tells her, "Drive safe, and call me when you get home. Sweet dreams, Sarah."

Mac smiles at his use of her given name. She reaches up to give him a peck on the cheek, "Sweet dreams, Harm."


	7. Inspired Dreams

_A/N: So, a reader asked if the story "about which way Harm tucks" had been updated yet. I have never heard it phrased that way before, it made me giggle. Good thing I am not a Marine! I have somewhere he can tuck it, but Mac might get a little jealous... and Carolyn, and Harriet, and most of the heterosexual female population. But, back to the story….._

* * *

**JAG HQ**

**Falls Church, VA**

Mac arrives in the morning with a beautiful smile plastered on her face. Both dinner and the dancing the night before inspired some pretty fantastic dreams. It probably had nothing to do with the actual dinner or dancing, but with whom she shared both things with, Harm. She hasn't slept this well in quite a long time. The only thing that would make it better would be waking up in the arms of the man who inspired her mood. Hopefully, that will be something she can look forward to actually happening in the near future. She sets her briefcase and her cover in her office, and grabs her coffee mug on the way to the break room.

Mac is pouring her first mug of marine sludge when the object of her affection saunters in, cover and brief case still in hand, "Good Morning, Marine. Sleep well?"

Mac smiles up at him, "I actually slept very well, thank you."

Harm reaches around her to grab a cup for himself off the counter, lightly brushing against her waist, "The insomniac is actually admitting that she slept well. What provided that calming effect to allow that?"

Mac, quickly trying to recover from the warm feeling from his gentle touch, answers, "Nothing special, I was just drained. I had a pretty busy night last night. But once I got home, I was relaxed and able to turn my brain off, so I fell asleep shortly after my head hit the pillow."

Harm smiles, "Well I am glad to hear it. Whatever you did differently, you should try it more often."

Mac murmurs, "Hmm. Maybe I will." She pauses for a moment, as she thinks to herself that she could definitely handle dancing with Harm every night, classes or not. However, she would like some of the dancing to be of the horizontal nature. She idly wonders if he would be agreeable to that. As soon as a flush starts to run up her cheeks, she is broken out of her musings by Harm clearing his throat.

Harm wonders where Mac went off to in la la land, silently hoping that the blush on her cheeks was from remembering their closeness last night. He needs to push that thought aside, before it gets them into trouble in the office. You never know who might walk in the break room at any given point. Clearing his throat and getting back down to business, he states, "Don't forget to call and make that appointment for some time this week."

She looks at him pointedly and replies, "I won't forget. I'm the one with the better organizational skills here."

Harm laughs incredulously, "Really? Have you looked at your office lately?"

Mac teases, "Yep! A cluttered desk is a sign of genius."

Harm banters back, "Oh, that's your story?"

Mac heads out of the breakroom and tosses over her shoulder, "Yep, and I am sticking to it. Now get your butt moving before you are late for court. You have three minutes and eighteen seconds before Admiral Morris hangs you from the yardarm. I'll let you know what I find out."

Harm glances at his watch, and realizes that her internal clock is right on the money, and he best get his butt in the courtroom. He doesn't think Admiral Morris will go so far as hanging him from the rafters, but he wouldn't put it past him to throw him in the brig. The Admiral has never forgiven him for shooting holes in the ceiling of his courtroom. Most of the time, he curses Mac's internal clock, but sometimes it really saves him a dressing down. He makes a mental note to thank her later for keeping him on track. Well, maybe he'll just thank her and not tell her the reason behind it.

Mac realizes that she is in need of more caffeine the same time that someone knocks on her door. She really hopes it isn't Singer. She is in a fantastic mood, and doesn't need it deflated by some blonde bimbo. Thankfully, it is only Tiner advising her that the Admiral would like to see her. Geeky Petty Officers and grizzly papa bear CO's she can deal with. She walks briskly to the Admiral's office, and sets her mug on Tiner's desk so that she can refill it on her way back to her own office.

She knocks on the wall, and waits until she hears "Enter!"

She walks in, and before she can even come to stand at attention, the Admiral gestures for her to take a seat. He states, "Colonel, how is the Walker case coming?"

She replies, "Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Singer and I should be ready for trial next week. Thus far, my client has been unwilling to accept a plea. He claims he is innocent."

The Admiral, satisfied with the progress update, gruffs, "I need you to run over to Bethesda and interview two men in a new case. Both got hurt in what appears to be a bar room brawl over a woman."

Mac raises her eyebrow at his tone. Thoughts of non-judicial punishment in Australia run through her mind. But they weren't really fighting over her, regardless of what Bud said. "Well Sir, it wouldn't be the first time that has happened."

The Admiral sighs, "No, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Let's just see what the circumstances were, and what charges, if any, need to be brought against both parties."

Mac takes the file folder from him with the pertinent case information, and says, "Aye Aye Sir. I will head over there shortly. I need to make a quick phone call to set up an appointment on your standing orders first."

The Admiral nods his head, "Very well, Colonel. Dismissed."

Mac grabs her coffee cup off of Tiner's desk on the way back to her office. No use in filling it now, when she has to leave for Bethesda shortly. She makes a quick call to All2Dance Studio and finds that they have a beginner ballroom class at 8:00 this evening. She provides all the relevant details for her and Harm to the woman she speaks to so that they will be able to attend the class this evening. She pulls a notepad out of her desk, and writes a quick note that she will leave in Harm's office. "Hey Flyboy, I was able to make a reservation for 2000 hours on the item that we discussed. Hopefully, you don't have plans already, but if you do just let me know, and I will change our reservation. I have to head over to Bethesda to interview some people on a new case. If I don't see you before you secure for the day, I will meet you at the designated location." She glances over her note to make sure that any prying eyes won't understand the message between the lines. Once she is satisfied, she signs it "Ninja Girl." She grabs her cover and car keys, and shuts her office door. She drops the note off in Harm's chair and makes her way to the elevators to head to Bethesda.


	8. Tricks of the Trade for Measurement

_A/N: I totally forgot to mention Nancy's jealousy in my last note. I swear she could rent him out, or auction him off, and be a billionaire!_

Mac's blissfully happy mood has definitely soured by the time she leaves Bethesda. What a waste of two blasted hours! Can she recommend to the Admiral that they both be charged with utter stupidity? Either that, or send them down to the Louisiana Bayou to go wrestle with alligators. All that fighting and neither one got the girl, she ran off with some other guy. They just had battered bodies, and bruised egos. She used to think that the Navy had slightly higher standards for the people they let in than the Marine Corps, but right now she was seriously questioning the sanity of the idiot recruiters that let these guys enlist in the first place. These are the types of squids who would get arrested for possession of marijuana for smoking a dime bag of oregano. Simply because they were too dumb to realize the difference. No offense to poor Jingo, who was just too old for his sniffer to properly work anymore. And if the interviews weren't bad enough, she got stuck in gridlock traffic on the beltway on her way back. The only bright side was her stop for a Beltway Burger, with large fries, and a chocolate shake. Now she just has to find a way to sneak them into her office without Harm seeing them. She isn't quite in the mood for a lecture on her eating habits right now. Perhaps if she sits outside, the warm weather, and the sun will bring her back to a place of tranquility.

When she arrives back at JAG, Mac walks by Harriet and Carolyn eating lunch outside on the patio. They invite her to join them but she waves them off, still miffed at them from yesterday. She stops by their table and quietly says, "I do not even want to talk to the two of you right now. Thanks to your little scheme yesterday, I have now been ORDERED to attend dance lessons with Harm."

Harriet swallows her laugh that is dying to come out, realizing that pissing off a senior officer probably wouldn't be the best course of action right now. She opts for the facts instead, "And what is wrong with that? Having him hold you close is a bad thing?"

Mac can't contain the blush that shows on her face. Having him hold her close last night felt like the most natural thing in the world. She argues, "No, it's not a bad thing per se. However, I would prefer he does it of his own free will, not because his boss is requiring him to do it."

Harriet tells her, "I'm sure he is doing it for BOTH reasons, Ma'am. This isn't about just following orders for either of you, and you know it."

Mac quietly says, "I hope you are right, Harriet."

Carolyn slyly asks, "So did you have any luck figuring out our little challenge yet?"

Mac grins like the cat that ate the canary, "No, I haven't, but I don't think it's a LITTLE challenge at all."

Harriet can't suppress her laughter any more. She coyly adds, "You know, I learned this trick from a guy in college. If you spread a guy's hand out and measure from the tip of the pinkie to the tip of his thumb, it's supposed to tell you his length."

Carolyn scoffs, "You can't be serious? Is this true?"

Mac leans over and smirks, "Well ladies, I just might have to test this little theory of yours. After all, the Commander does have VERY LARGE hands!" After leaving both of them speechless, Mac saunters over to the other side of the courtyard, grinning the whole way. Yes, her mood is definitely improving!

While sitting at her own table, Mac starts to think back to her dance with Harm last night. Did he spread his fingers out when he took her hand last night? She honestly doesn't remember. She makes a mental note to consciously pay attention the next time to see if Harriet's suggestion holds any water. Then she laughs to herself at the thought. Who is she kidding? Her brain does not function when she is dancing with Harm. Besides, she would much prefer the element of surprise when she actually sees "it" for the first time.

Ten minutes later Harm and Sturgis are stepping out of HQ into the courtyard on their recess, directly from the courtroom. Sturgis asks Harm, "Hey Buddy, are you interested in a game of hoops later tonight after I finish mopping the floor with your six?"

Harm chuckles at Sturgis' arrogance, "You aren't winning this one Sturgis, I have a few tricks left in my rabbit hat you know. Enjoy your spoils while you can! I'm not sure about tonight though. Hold that thought while I check with Mac on something first."

Sturgis is about to give Harm crap about checking in with the "ball and chain" when he notices Mac sitting outside and thinks better of it. Sturgis heads to his car to go out and grab some lunch, "Ok, I'll catch you later Buddy. Do you want me to bring you back anything for lunch?"

Harm heads over to Mac's table as he calls out, "Just bring me back a salad from wherever you stop."

Mac looks up, and smiles as she sees Harm headed her way. Just seeing him is already making her afternoon look a little brighter, "Hi Flyboy! Did you see my note about tonight?"

Harm sits down and shakes his head at her meal choice, "Good Afternoon, Marine. Still eating dead cow I see. No, I have been in court all morning. What's up?"

Mac says, "This is a perfectly acceptable meal, thank you very much! I left the note sitting in your chair."

Harm replies, "I haven't been to my office yet. Sturgis and I just got out of court and we were going to get some lunch when I saw you sitting here. I figured I would join you and have him bring me something back."

Mac laughs, "Yeah, yeah. You just wanted to avoid the growing pile in your inbox that Tiner keeps adding to. Or are you dodging phone messages from one of your many admirers?"

Harm is taken aback at that. Did she not feel what he was feeling when they were dancing last night? Did she really think that he was out there playing the field? Most people wouldn't notice the thinly veiled look of pain behind his eyes as he tells her, "The only admirer I want to hear from is you."

Realizing that she unintentionally hurt him, she replies, "I'm sorry Harm, I didn't mean to imply…Wait! Did you just say I was admiring you?"

Full Flyboy grin in place he says, "Gotcha!"

She smacks him on the shoulder, gets up, and starts heading back towards the building.

Realizing that she just left him sitting there, he calls after her, "Mac!"

She turns around, with her arms folded over her chest, gives him a smile, and raises her eyebrow in question.

He catches up to her in three quick strides, and asks, "What about tonight?"

Mac sighs at him, exasperated, "Go read the note on your chair, Flyboy!"

Harm says, "I won't have time to go to my office before I have to be back in court."

She simply shakes her head at him. "Class is at 20:00 hours if you can make it."

Harm says, "I can do that."

Mac nods, and as she opens the door into headquarters, she hears him ask, "Dinner first?"

She turns around, and gives him a wink, "I'll think about it!"


	9. Chapter 9

Harm grabs her lightly by the elbow as she turns back around, "Hey aren't you going to stay out here with me while I eat MY lunch?"

Mac teases, "Hmm… you want me to have dinner with you, and lunch, plus I have to see you after both? I don't know if I can handle that much of you in one day, Sailor. Geesh, the next thing I know, you'll be requesting my presence for breakfast too."

Harm leans over, and whispers in her ear, "Well you did say that you expected a guy to cook you breakfast when he spends the night."

Mac steps back, releasing his light grip on her, "Red Light Commander!"

Harm quietly asks, "Mac, aren't we past the traffic signals already?"

Mac shakes her head, "Not here we aren't!" Then she gives him a quick wink, "but it's no holds barred on the dance floor!"

Harm chuckles, "I'll keep that in mind, but seriously, are you staying out here?"

Mac smiles at his little boy behavior, "Nah, I have work to do, but Harriet and Carolyn can keep you entertained I am sure."

Harm glances over at the table occupied by the two said women, who are currently staring at him, and giggling. He raises his eyebrow in inquiry, "You wouldn't be throwing me to the wolves, would you Colonel?"

Mac sighs, "Nope, that's what I have to go inside and deal with. We can easily trade though. I'll hang out with Carolyn and Harriet, and you can go deal with Singer."

Harm ponders this for a moment, "Nope, I'm not that desperate, Marine. Harriet and Carolyn are definitely the lesser of two evils in that equation. Although, I'm not sure why they keep looking over here and laughing. Maybe I would be better off eating inside. Come to think of it, all three of you have been acting kind of strange the last couple of days."

Mac shrugs him off, completely ignoring his last statement, "Ok. Then I guess I will see you after court. Ok look, Sturgis just got back with your lunch. If the bag he is carrying is any indicator, it looks like he got you a big fat juicy burger."

Harm glances back over his shoulder where Sturgis is traipsing through the parking lot. He scoffs, "He wouldn't dare! He knows better!" Sturgis is indeed carrying a Beltway Burgers bag in front of him. However, the other hand is carrying one from Ho's Organic Noodles.

Mac nudges his shoulder with hers, "Gotcha, Flyboy! Play nice with Sturgis this afternoon, and I'll talk to you when you get out of court."

Harm gives her a little pout, "I'm always nice."

Mac just shakes her head at him, "I'll see you later."

Mac stops by the kitchen to grab herself a cup of coffee. She will need it with all the paperwork she has to complete this afternoon. Looking at her file options, she decides to knock out her newest case first, before starting on Walker. She has just finished writing up her report with her recommendations to the Admiral on the bar room brawl case, when she looks up, and sees Singer at her door. "Can I help you, Lieutenant?"

Singer purses her lips, "I'm sorry to interrupt Ma'am, but I have new evidence in the Walker matter that I need to give you."

Mac nods, "Bring it here."

Singer walks into the Colonel's office and reluctantly hands her the file. She explains, "Ma'am, the toxicology report in here, shows that your client was indeed drugged. He had enough ketamine in his system to knock out a horse. There is no possible way that Petty Officer Walker could have stood, let alone push the victim down the stairs."

Mac raises her eyebrow at this new information, "So I take it you will be dropping all charges?"

Singer straightens her spine before answering, "No Ma'am."

Mac stands up, "And why not? I think that the evidence speaks for itself."

Singer states, "Even though he may not have been able to push her, he still may have mistakenly staggered into her, causing her to fall. I'm willing to drop the murder charge, but I firmly believe that involuntary manslaughter is still applicable."

Mac shakes her head. "You obviously still have a lot to learn Lieutenant. If my client was drugged to the point of incapacitation, either the victim was responsible for drugging him, or someone else was there. Or do you think my client drugged himself?"

Singer tells her, "I will present my theory in court, Ma'am."

Mac pulls a file off the corner of her desk, and looks through a list of evidence, finding that what she is looking for is definitely not on the list. Mac tells her, "I don't think we will get that far, Lieutenant. There was no needle found at the scene. Nada, not one, near the victim, or my client. There is no needle in the evidence list at all. Which would suggest that the perpetrator took it with them. Someone else was obviously there."

Singer won't be dissuaded, "Or the investigators just missed it in their initial sweep. I'm going to have them go back over the crime scene again before I even think of dismissing charges."

Mac says, "Have it your way, I'll give you two days. If the crime scene doesn't turn up anything new, I'm going to speak to the Admiral about this for his take on it. I'm fairly certain he will agree with me that ALL charges should be dropped against my client."

Singer replies, "Understood, Ma'am."

Mac sits back down, "You are dismissed."

Singer states, "Aye Aye, Ma'am" as she turns on her heel to leave the Colonel's office.

Mac finally opens the folder that Singer gave her, and notices the date of the toxicology report. She calls, "Hang on a sec, Lieutenant. When exactly did you receive this evidence?"

Singer cringes. She quietly ekes out, "Yesterday."

Mac stands straight up at those words. "Snap to!"

Singer immediately stands at attention.

Mac walks around her, and slams her office door. She circles around Singer and with all the wrath she can possibly conjure she asks, "Why am I just receiving this information now?"

Singer crisply replies, "I stopped by this morning, but Tiner informed me that you were at Bethesda, Ma'am."

Mac can't disagree with that logic, but she isn't ready to let her off the hook yet. "And what is your excuse for why you didn't bring it to me yesterday?"

Singer weighs the options in her head of how to answer the Colonel. Telling her the truth is definitely not an option, but a little white lie hopefully won't do too much damage. She's going to be in the doghouse either way, but she is hoping to have some of her hide left when she leaves this office. "You were in with the Admiral when the report arrived. I went back to my office, and was working on other things, and by the time I thought about it again, you were gone for the day."

Mac still isn't deterred. "Those are excuses, Lieutenant! You could have left the file with Tiner, or with Harriet, or even in my inbox!"

Singer doesn't flinch, "My apologies, Ma'am. I wanted to give you the exculpatory evidence personally."

Mac barks, "Next time, Lieutenant, you will hand it to me personally, in a more expedited manner. Are we clear?"

Singer says, "Crystal, Ma'am."

Mac sit back down, the fire still in her eyes, "Get out of my office!"

Singer wisely retreats, thankful that although she got busted, the Colonel didn't threaten to speak to the Admiral. She inwardly smiles at the fact that her case isn't completely over. It's not often that she gets assigned a murder trial, and although the charges have lessened, it's still a high profile case, and not one she is willing to concede yet. Now, she needs to get on the phone with the damn investigators, so they can find the evidence she needs to convict!

By the time the end of the day rolls around, Mac feels like she has been on an emotional rollercoaster all day. She is drained. If it wasn't Harm she had plans with tonight, she would reschedule the class. Hopefully, she will be able to conjure up some energy to actually be able to dance tonight. Although, if not, she can just lean heavily on him, and let him lead.

Harm gets out of court and immediately stops by Mac's office before heading to his own. He finds her looking down at a file with her shoulders hunched over. He approaches and puts a soft hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him. He inquires, "Bad afternoon?"

She grits her teeth and asks, "Is murder still illegal in all fifty states?"

Harm chuckles, "Afraid so. However, if you are thinking of murdering who I believe you are, I'm sure your attorney could come up with extensive mitigating circumstances."

Mac sighs, "Thanks for the thought, but she just isn't worth it."

Harm suggests, "Maybe dinner with a handsome Sailor, with a friendly ear, would cheer you up? If he can't improve your mood, he might at least be able to help you strategize on where to hide the body!"

Mac smiles, "You know, you're right. That is a fantastic idea! I'll just go check with Sturgis, and see if he is available."


	10. Chapter 10

As Mac starts to get up, Harm grabs her around the waist, "Sturgis huh?"

Mac shrieks, "Didn't we have this discussion earlier? Red light! You can hold me all you want later." The warmth she feels when he touches her, immediately dissipates when he lets her go.

Harm reluctantly releases her, "All I want?"

Mac replies with a twinkle in her eye, "Well as much as the instructor will let you at least. After all, I don't think we can dance together without touching. So, where did you want me to meet you for dinner?"

Harm scoffs, "Dinner? I thought you were going with Sturgis."

Mac teases, "Nah, I'll go with you."

Harm thinks for a moment before starting to get up, "Well, I don't want to be second choice, you know. I can get Sturgis for you."

Mac pushes him back into a chair, "Don't get your boxers in a twist, Flyboy! I just wanted to ask Sturgis, since he is a preacher's son, if he should happen to have the access codes for the gates into hell."

Harm outright laughs, "Ah, the smell of burnt Lieutenant in the afternoon. At least you didn't set off the fire alarm."

Mac pretends to seriously contemplate that idea, "Don't tempt me!"

Harm smiles, "There's my feisty Marine. I thought she had disappeared when I first came in here, but I'm glad to see she is back in full swing."

Mac laughs, "Oh, if you hadn't been in court this afternoon, you would have heard all about the feisty Marine. I'm shocked the Admiral didn't come in my office because I'm sure he heard at least part of my dressing down."

Harm chuckles, "I've seen that side of you firsthand. I just hope I'm never on the receiving end of your wrath."

Mac quirks her eyebrow, "And what makes you think that you are immune to my wrath?"

Harm grins, "Well, you have never dressed me down the way you did Singer or those Petty Officers on the Watertown."

Mac tells him, "Well, I'm only the Senior Officer by a few months, so it wouldn't be appropriate." Then she leans over and whispers in his ear, "Besides Squid, I reserve a special kind of dressing down for you."

Harm drops his jaw, "Now who needs the Red Light, Colonel?"

Mac smiles, "I have no idea what you mean, Commander. Now where am I meeting you for dinner?" 

**Clyde's of Georgetown**

**1830 hours EST**

Mac is uncharacteristically running late. She must have tried on six different outfits, trying to find the right mix of alluring, and fit for dancing. She settled on a black halter dress that ties behind her neck, has an open back, and lands right about her knees. It should flare nicely when twirling. It has the added advantage of being able to feel the heat of Harm's hand on her bare back as he holds her. The outfit is completed with some light make-up, enhancing her eyes and lips; a crocheted shawl, and three-inch heels. Some women might have issues dancing in the heels, but she has salsa danced before, and is completely used to it.

When she arrives at the restaurant, the hostess invites her to glance around the restaurant for her party. Mac smiles, "That won't be necessary, just point me in the direction of the best-looking guy in the place that is sitting alone."

The hostess looks at her oddly, trying to decide if the patron is joking or not. In the three years she has been working here, it's the first time she has ever experienced this type of request. She thinks to herself, 'I might have to try that line one time' before telling Mac, "Not to be rude, Ma'am, but I'm not sure that is the best idea. First, we may have very different ideas of the most handsome guy in the place. Second, I don't want to upset another patron by choosing the wrong one."

Mac shrugs her off, "Ok, I'll find him myself, but I will stop by on our way out, and ask your opinion."

She finds Harm sitting in a booth towards the back of the restaurant. Her breath catches in her throat as he stands to greet her. He is dressed in a dark charcoal suit, with a light teal shirt, and a simple black tie. The shirt is bringing out the color of his eyes in full force, and he looks simply gorgeous.

Harm is equally captivated by her attire. When she reaches him, he leans over and gives her a quick kiss on her cheek, "You look beautiful, Sarah."

She smiles and tells him, "Thank you. You don't look too shabby yourself, Harm. You don't think we are overdressed for a night of dancing with your partner, do you?"

Harm motions for her to take a seat and quietly says, "Not at all, I am looking forward to it."

She returns the sentiment, "So am I."

When the waiter approaches to take their drink order, he can't keep his eyes off of Mac. Harm clears his throat, loudly, to get the waiter's attention. "I'm sorry, Sir. What can I get both of you to drink?"

Harm replies, "I'll take a mineral water, and the lady will have a club soda with a twist."

Mac inquires, "Harm, do you want to share the Hummus Plate as a appetizer?"

Harm adds, "That sounds good, we will have that as well."

The waiter replies, "Very well, I'll be right back."

When the waiter leaves, Mac is staring at Harm with a pointed glare. He sheepishly remarks, "What?"

Mac giggles slightly, "You know what."

Harm grins, "I know, you are a Marine and can take of yourself."

Mac smiles, "Very good, Sailor. Try to keep the green-eyed monster to a minimum tonight."

The waiter returns with their drinks, and Harm places their order. "I'll have the Maryland Day Boat scallops and she will have the NY Strip."

The waiter takes their menus and goes to place their order. He returns shortly with some appetizer plates and the Hummus. Harm and Mac converse lightly while waiting for their meals. "So, you know how part of my afternoon went, how did you fare again Sturgis?"

Harm sighs, "He's still got the upper hand for the moment, but I'm sure that the panel will be swinging my way before we are done."

Mac smiles knowingly, "Ace in your pocket or emotional appeal?"

Harm's eyes glint, but he remains cryptic, "Maybe a little of both."

Mac chuckles, "Poor Sturgis. Maybe I should have taken him out to dinner, he's going to need it."

Harm spits, "Bite your tongue, Counselor! I'll let him beat me in a game of basketball, and all will be good."

Mac chuckles, "Let him beat you, huh? I thought you two were pretty evenly matched on the court. Although in running, he has you dead to rights."

Harm grins, "But on the court, I have the height advantage, and I use it as often as possible!"

Mac barely has time to say, "I'll bet you do" as their main course arrives. The waiter ensures that they don't need anything else, and leaves them to their meals.

Over dinner, Mac tells Harm about the two idiots from her Bethesda case this morning. Harm inquires, "So do you think the convening authority will go for non-judicial punishment? It seems too lenient since they both ended up in the hospital."

Mac sighs, "I know, but I felt bad for them. They are just two stupid kids who didn't know how to properly behave when their testosterone went into overdrive. I gave the Admiral a three tiered recommendation. The first was non-judicial, the second was anger management classes and loss of pay, and the most stringent was to throw their butts in the brig for three months and make them take sensitivity training."

Harm grunts, "Sensitivity training, really?"

Mac replies, "Yep. They should make all you boys take it. None of you know how to behave with each other when a woman is involved. It's like your common sense goes straight out the window because you are thinking with the wrong head!"

Harm starts to argue before flashes of a forced boxing match in Australia go through his mind. "Ok, you might have a point there."

Mac smiles at her victory.

The waiter returns to see if they would like anything for dessert. Mac checks her internal clock and notes they have just enough time for dessert and coffee before they need to make their class.

Harm says, "I'm stuffed, so just a cup of coffee for me. Mac?"

Mac replies, "I'm pretty full too, but that Crème Brule looks divine. I think I will have that and a cup of coffee as well."

When the waiter leaves the table, Harm takes her hand and gives her a wink. "It's ok to over indulge a little, I'll help you work it off later!"

Mac decides to leave that comment alone for now, and just shakes her head at him.

Dessert and coffee finished, Harm pays for the check, and helps Mac with her shawl.

Harm has his hand resting lightly on Mac's lower back as they walk out of the restaurant. She makes sure they stop by the hostess desk on their way, and asks the girl from earlier, "Well?"

The younger woman blushes, "You were right."

Mac just nods her head in satisfaction, and proceeds out the door. Harm looks at her inquisitively, "What was all that about?"

Mac just gives him a coy smile with a twinkle in her eye. "That, my dear Flyboy, is classified. Let's get a move on, or we will be late!"


	11. Chapter 11

**All2Dance Studio**

**Washington, DC**

Harm and Mac arrive to the studio within a minute of each other. Harm is leaning against his Lexus, waiting for Mac, when she pulls in. She exits her Corvette, and heads over to where he is standing. Harm was running different scenarios through his head on the drive over from Clyde's, but he couldn't come up with anything that Mac and the hostess might have been discussing. As she reaches him, he asks, "Still not going to tell me what the discussion was about at the restaurant?"

Mac simply smiles, and rattles off, "Now Harm, you know how classified works. I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you. I can't very well bear your children later if I kill you, so that wouldn't be in my best interest." Dropping the subject, and leaving him flabbergasted, she offers him her hand, "Are you ready for class?"

The mere mention of her carrying his children sends all the blood in his body rushing south. She is going to look so beautiful when she is pregnant. He needs to snap out of it before he gets himself in real trouble. Harm takes a quick moment to compose himself. He knows he isn't going to get any further information from her, at least right now, so he takes her hand and clasps it in his, "Lead the way."

When they enter the studio, they advise the woman at the front desk which class they are here for. They are escorted to a large studio in the back of the complex. There are approximately twelve other people in the room already. Some are politely conversing with others, a few are wallflowers, and one couple is dancing around the floor.

A woman, who appears to be in her late forties, walks into the room, exhibiting command presence similar to that of Admiral Chegwidden. Harm and Mac share a knowing glance, surmising this must be their teacher. The woman reaches the middle of the floor, and claps her hands once to get everyone's attention. "Good evening, everyone, and welcome to All2Dance Studio. I'm Jillian, and I will be your instructor for Beginners Ballroom Dancing. If these are not the droids you are looking for, the National Air and Space Museum is a quick two-step away, and you will find all the Star Wars items you are looking for there. I even hear that the President occasionally shows up, disguised as a stormtrooper. However, if you stick around for a few weeks, I will show you the best way to do that two-step."

Her comments give everyone in the group a good laugh, and the nervousness around the room drops several notches. It serves as just the ice breaker that was needed.

Jillian continues, "Let me introduce you to the couple that you have seen out here dancing tonight, while you were waiting for me. Linda Travers and Michael Goff are two of my finest. They compete professionally in several different types of ballroom dances, and they will be my demonstrators as I teach you new steps throughout the duration of these classes. They are merely here tonight so that I can introduce you to them. Now, this is a couple's class. All of you signed up with a partner. Predominately, that is the person you will be dancing with. Whether you are a couple, friends, or you hate each other is irrelevant to me. On occasion, as the class progresses, I may pair you with someone else for a short amount of time. If anyone is uncomfortable with that occurring, please see me when we take a break. Our agenda for this first evening is not going to relate to any specific dance. I am going to put the music on shuffle, and I want you to do what comes naturally. I want you to get familiar with how your own body moves, how your partner's body moves, and how you can best move together. Chances are, there will be some surprises. I've had couples here that have been married over thirty years, that can't coordinate their movements together. I've also had total strangers meld so completely together that you couldn't discern one from the other. There will be time to introduce yourselves to each other when we take our first break. If no one has any questions, and everyone is ready, we can get started."

The first song that begins playing resembles a fast polka. The group looks at one and other, wondering what in the hell they are supposed to do with that. A slim blonde, probably in her late twenties, makes the first move. She starts high kicking, and her boyfriend/husband/significant other stares at her like she is crazy.

Jillian chuckles, and tells the rest of the group, "I know this song is a little off the beaten path, but I'm not going to switch to the next one until everyone is moving in some fashion or another. Just let the music guide you. There are no wrong ways to move."

An older couple takes that as their cue. They hook their elbows together, and spin in a circle. Soon, one by one, each pair begins to move in some fashion. Harm looks at Mac, and gives her a devilish grin, before he wraps his arms around her waist, and lifts her off the ground, spinning her in a fast circle. Mac is caught so off guard that she can barely grab ahold of his shoulders to keep from falling. When he sets her back down, she is slightly dizzy, but laughing, "A little warning would be nice next time, Harm."

Harm raises his eyebrow, "Now where would be the fun in that?"

Mac shakes her head at him, "Just trying to keep me on my toes? Or off my toes in this case?"

Harm smiles, "Nah, I just always wondered what it would be like to sweep you off your feet."

Mac's first instinct is to sweep him off his own feet, with a nice slide behind his knees, but the fact that he might have actually meant his comment makes her reconsider. However, when she pictured him sweeping her off feet in her own mind, he was wearing his dress whites. "Well, Sailor, the gesture is welcome any time you wish to try."


	12. Lime in the Coconut

_A/N: I totally blame DJE and his photos from the Bahamas for parts of this chapter!_

* * *

**ALL2Dance Studio **

**2030 Hours EST**

Jillian hits the shuffle button and "You put the lime in the coconut" starts to filter out of the speakers.

All Harm can do is stare at Mac as she starts to swivel her hips in a hula dance. He had absolutely no idea she could move her hips that rhythmically. His groin immediately starts to tighten again, at the mere thought of her moving her hips over him that way. Deciding he needs a distraction; he glances around the room to see what the other dancers are doing. Another couple around Harm and Mac's age are strutting, and rolling their arms in a circle in front of them, fists tightly clenched. The man with the blonde woman grabs his stomach like he is going to be sick, so the blonde lady sticks her thumb to her ear and her pinky finger to her mouth to "Call the doctor." Jillian resists laughing out loud at those two. She does get folks from all walks of life in her classes.

Mac realizes that Harm is pretty much rooted in place, so she moves closer to him and starts circling around him instead. Still moving her hips in a typical hula, she also extends her arms out to her side, in a waving motion. As she waves, she lightly brushes her hands against his chest, hoping for some type of reaction. Her simple, light, teasing touch is almost his undoing. He steps back as if burned, but then he notices the pained expression behind her eyes, and lightly grabs both of her hands in one of his, trying to convey a silent apology for his reaction.

Jillian must notice the anticipation hanging in the air, as she hits the button to shuffle to the next song. Harm is thankful for the reprieve, and also thankful that the song has shifted to something he is more comfortable with. As notes of Strauss fill the air, Harm pulls Sarah closer, but not too close, and assumes the frame for a traditional waltz. This will be easier; it will be just like they rehearsed last night. He silently thinks, 'I can handle this. I get to lead, and I already know how to anticipate her moves.'

Soon they are moving flawlessly together around the room, their eyes locked on one and other. All of the other couples have moved off to the side, giving Harm and Mac the entire floor to move around on. They are simply mesmerized watching the magic that is occurring in front of them. Harm and Mac don't notice anything, they are totally wrapped up in the music, in the moment, and in each other.

As the song drifts to a close, Jillian announces that it is time for a break. She invites everyone to adjourn to the small room next door for refreshments, and advises where the restrooms are located. "Please feel free to mingle, grab something to eat, and introduce yourselves to the others in the class." She motions to Harm and Mac, "Would you two mind hanging back for a moment?"

Jillian waits for all the other patrons to exit the room before she addresses the couple standing in front of her, "It's quite obvious that the two of you have danced a waltz together before. You move together perfectly, and you make a beautiful couple. You also do not belong in the beginner class. Even outside of the waltz, I can tell that you know how to anticipate each other's moves. With your permission, I would like to move you up to the intermediate class first, and see how you fare there. I don't necessarily want to put you in the advanced class just yet, as that is normally reserved for couples who compete professionally. What do you think?"

Harm and Mac both raise eyebrows at that thought. They compete professionally all the time, isn't that what landed them here in the first place? The only difference is, their forum is the courtroom vice a dance hall. However, they are both starting to realize that they if they stop competing, and move together, they are unstoppable.

Mac bites her lower lip so hard, she is afraid her teeth are going to come out of the other side. She quietly tells Jillian, "We aren't a couple. We are partners at work. Have been for around seven years."

Harm adds, "We've had to learn how to anticipate each other's movements in some pretty dicey situations. It just comes naturally at this point."

Jillian shakes her head, "You could have fooled me! Your lines are beautifully executed, and you were both totally lost in each other."

Not getting any further verbal response from either of them, Jillian suggests, "Just so you know, it is often a good idea to practice together outside of class too. Go out to a club where you can just let loose, and you don't have everyone watching your every move. Or go home and put on some music, any kind of music, and just let the notes lead your steps. The dance doesn't require form, or structure, or direction; just let your bodies move in time to the harmony. You might be surprised in the direction it leads you."

Mac is the first to break out of her own little world. She nudges Harm with her shoulder, "What do you think, Flyboy, could you handle a night of clubbing with me?"

Harm gives her a smile, "Hey you know us jet jocks, we like to go fast, and like 9-G turns too. As long as I get to spin you around, I can handle the club music!"

Mac gives him a grin back, before turning her attention back to their teacher. "When is the intermediate class?"

Jillian responds, "We have one tomorrow at 7:00 if that works for you?"

Harm replies for both of them, "Sure, we'll be here at 1900 hours."

Jillian laughs, "Ah, military folks, that explains the perfect posture. Well, you folks have a good night and I will see you tomorrow evening."

Harm instinctively reaches for Mac's hand, slightly unhappy that the night of being able to touch her at will is ending earlier than he anticipated. As she readily slips her hand into his, he realizes that maybe he isn't the only one not ready for this night to end.

They tell Jillian good night and thank her for her time, before heading out of the studio for the evening.


	13. Love, Interrupted

_A/N: So, I was reading a story the other night, without chapter titles, that I know I had read before. I was looking for a specific part in it, and was having a hard time finding it. I ended up downloading the story, and doing a text search until I found what I was looking for. Therefore, I have decided that chapter titles might be more helpful to readers in my own stories. I have used them in a few, but not all, so as inspiration strikes, I will be going back and adding titles that relate to the chapters. Hopefully, years from now, if anyone is still reading my words, it might help them._

**ALL2Dance Studio **

**2145 Hours EST**

As Jillian watches Harm and Mac exit the front doors, she decides to stop by her office to make a quick phone call before going to engage with the remaining members of her class. When the person answers on the other end, she states "It worked out perfectly. You should have seen them together. There were definitely sparks flying in the room that everyone noticed." The mystery person on the other end makes an unheard comment, to which Jillian assures them, "Don't worry, I've got this!"

As Harm walks Mac to her car, he suggests, "How would you feel about stopping by McMurphy's before we call it a night?"

Mac politely declines, "Sorry Harm, I'm not really in the mood for McMurphy's tonight." It definitely isn't because she wants to call it an early night. There are just too many people that they could possibly run into at McMurphy's, and she would prefer to have him to herself for a little while. Seeing the crestfallen look on his face, she adds, "Why don't we go back to my apartment instead. Maybe we should do as Jillian suggested. We can turn the radio on, move a little, and see what direction it takes us in. Hell, it can only make us improve, right? Unless you have had enough dancing for the night, in which case a cup of coffee and some pleasant conversation would be fine with me too."

Harm ponders her suggestion for a moment before teasing, "Are you sure you haven't had enough of me already today Colonel? After all, we have spent most of our waking hours together. I wouldn't want you to get tired of me."

Mac starts to get into her Corvette, and gives him a wink, "If you play your cards right, I might let you spend your non waking hours with me too. See you at my place!" She takes advantage of his jaw being on the ground, to start her car, and head to her apartment. It's very rare that she can leave the great Harmon Rabb speechless!

It takes Harm a few moments to realize what just happened. Was he dreaming, or did Sarah MacKenzie just proposition him? Either way, he isn't going to let the opportunity pass him by. He sprints over to the Lexus, gets in, and starts heading for Georgetown. She definitely got a few minutes head start on him, so with both his SUV and his heart racing, he tries to make up those few lost moments. A Tomcat would definitely come in handy right now, even if the roof of her building isn't fit for a landing. He wants to catch up with her before she either changes her mind or realizes what she said.

**Mac's Apartment**

**Georgetown**

**2210 Hours EST**

By the time Harm arrives at Mac's building, she has already had time to take off her shoes, use the restroom, turn on the stereo, and start a pot of coffee. She considers changing in to more comfortable clothes, but decides against it, not wanting him to feel overdressed.

Harm enters the building, and takes the stairs two at a time up to her apartment. When he reaches the door, he takes a deep breath before knocking.

Mac opens the door, and Harm has to resist the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss the living daylights out of her. As she invites him in, she jokes, "What took you so long, Flyboy?" She turns away from him to head to the kitchen, "Coffee should be just about ready."

Before she can get two steps away from him, he snakes his arms around her waist from behind. Startled at first, it only takes her a moment before she relaxes against the wall of his well chiseled chest. He gives her a soft nuzzle right below her left ear, and whispers, "You are seriously testing my control tonight, Sarah."

She doesn't have a chance to respond as her phone picks the most inopportune time to start ringing. Harm tightens his grip on her, "Let the machine get it."

Mac protests, "Harm, what if it's the Admiral?"

Harm places a string of soft kisses along the back of her neck, attempting to draw her attention away from the phone, "Right now, I really don't care if it is our Commander in Chief."

Mac is beginning to get lost in his sensual ministrations, when her answering machine picks up to the Admiral bellowing, "Colonel, are you there?" The Admiral sighs heavily, before continuing, "I guess I will try your cell phone. I need to talk to you and Commander Rabb, ASAP. There has been an incident on the USS Seahawk. Please call me as soon as you get this."

Harm sighs heavily against the back of her neck, extremely unhappy that the universe seems to be conspiring against them. "I guess I should head home to get a uniform, since I am sure his next call will be to me."

Still unable to speak, Mac places her hands over where his are holding her, and simply nods.

In an almost pleading tone, Harm asks, "Please tell me that we will be able to pick this up again later?"

Mac turns around in his embrace, and places a soft kiss on his lips just as her cell phone starts ringing, "You can count on it, Sailor."


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: It's a good thing that pictures aren't allowed in reviews, as one reader presented me with a flame thrower for my last chapter. What can I say, it's Harm and Mac: one step forward, and an infinite number of steps back! Everyone else can blame Microsoft Office for the chapter, for auto updating and not auto saving, so I had to re-write most of it! _

* * *

**Mac's Apartment**

**Georgetown**

**2220 Hours EST**

As Mac backs away to retrieve her ringing cell phone, Harm leans towards her, seeking to re-establish contact with her lips, similar to the way he did on the Admiral's porch the night of her engagement party. This time, however, he is unsuccessful, as she puts her hands on his chest, and slightly pushes him away. She whispers, apologetically, "Duty calls, Sailor."

Harm reluctantly releases her, and mutters under his breath where she can't hear, "Sometimes duty is over-rated!"

Mac answers her phone, knowing who it is without even looking at the caller ID, "Good Evening, Admiral."

The Admiral states, "Good evening, Colonel. I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I need both you and Commander Rabb to report to JAG as soon as possible. We have an incident on a carrier that requires immediate attention."

Mac sighs, "I understand, Sir. I'll be there as soon as I can. You just missed the Commander, so you should be able to reach him on his cell phone."

The Admiral questions, "I thought you guys met at the dance studio, how did I just miss him?"

Mac thinks, 'Oh Shit!' She pauses a moment before answering, thinking that how her and Harm spend their private time is none of the Admiral's concern. After taking a cleansing breath, and trying to keep the irritation out of her voice, she responds, "We did, Sir, but our instructor doesn't think that we are in the right class, so we came back to my apartment to discuss our thoughts on the proposed change."

Harm gives Mac's hand a squeeze as he feels her body go rigid. He doesn't know what the Admiral just said, but he knows she's not happy.

The Admiral completely ignores the statement about dance class, and zeroes in on the other half of her comment. He asks, "Do you often invite the Commander over this late, Colonel?"

Mac steadily replies, "Sometimes, Sir, when our case load warrants it. You know that we often discuss cases after hours. Has this all of a sudden became an issue?"

Harm starts to run soothing circles over her palm in an attempt to calm Mac down.

The Admiral relents, "No, it's not a problem. I'm just surprised that he was there this late." He really shouldn't be this involved in the personal lives of his officers, even if he does want to help move them in the right direction.

Mac chuckles, "Besides you know how Commander Rabb is. It wouldn't matter if we took separate cars, or the same car. He would want to insist that I got home safely."

Harm smiles at her remark, that much is definitely true.

The Admiral laughs also, "His over protective streaks bugs the crap out of you, doesn't it."

Mac smiles at the comment, as she looks at Harm lovingly, "It does on occasion, but I also appreciate the officer and gentleman side of him, as long he doesn't push it too far. I am a Marine after all, who can take care of herself."

Harm raises an eyebrow, now even more curious as to what is going on, since he can only hear her side of the conversation. He knows nothing good could have come from the other end of the phone if she was giving her "I'm a Marine speech." He also knows that part of it was at his expense, but he will question her about that later.

The Admiral says, "Very true, and I am sure you remind him of that, often. I'll give him a call, and I will see you both shortly."

Mac replies, "Aye, Sir. I have to call Jillian, our instructor, and let her know that we are being sent out of town to find out when she has another intermediate class. I had only downloaded the information for the beginner ones. I will change into uniform, and be on my way after that."

The Admiral answers, "As soon as you can, Mac," before hanging up.

Mac looks at Harm and sighs. This was not how she wanted them to conclude their evening. "We've got a case. You had better get the lead out, and get home, get changed, and get packed as soon as you can. He wants us at JAG, ASAP, and we will be heading out to a carrier. I don't know any more than that yet."

Harm grins mischievously, "Or, I could cut that time in half by going down to my car, and retrieving my sea bag, and we could spend a little more time together."

Mac raises her eyebrow in shock, "Since when do you keep a packed sea bag in your car?"

Harm leans in to give her another kiss, "This Squid got trained by a Marine."

Mac pushes him away again, chuckling, "Yeah, it only took me how many years to train you? Sailor, I don't think that showing up at JAG with swollen lips from kissing would be in either of our best interests. Even if you don't have to pack, you still need a fresh uniform, and one out of your sea bag isn't going to cut it. Now get moving!"

Before Harm can protest, his cell phone begins to ring. He settles for giving Mac a pouty face, as she heads to her bedroom for a uniform. On his way out her door, he answers, "Good evening, Admiral."


	15. Leave the Cowboys on the Farm

_A/N: Angela, part of this chapter is all your fault! Hopefully I won't see any fires headed my way this time. To my anonymous viewer who felt I was dragging this out: I have found that when you write, the story sometimes takes a life of its own. To all those still reading, I hope this meets your approval!_

* * *

**JAG HQ**

**Falls Church, VA**

**2300 Hours EST**

Mac takes her time getting ready so that she won't arrive at JAG too far ahead of her partner. She is not in the mood to be grilled by the Admiral about the dance class, or the events afterwards. When she is ready to leave her apartment, she gives Harm a quick call on his cell to determine his estimated arrival time. Thankfully, Harm only had to drive home, and grab a uniform out of his closet to change into. He did grab the extra toiletry bag out of his bathroom, just in case the current one in his sea bag had out of date items. He has learned from past experience that expired toothpaste and mouthwash do not taste very good! By the time Mac calls him, he is ready to head out the door himself. They arrive at JAG HQ within a few moments of each other.

By the time they arrive, the Admiral is pacing his office like a caged lion. Sometimes, wearing stars on your shoulders really sucks! It has great privileges, but at the same time, the amount of political garbage you have to endure can be quite cumbersome. This case was definitely going to be a political minefield, and he needed his top team at their very best.

When they reach the Admiral's outer office, Harm gestures for Mac to go ahead of him. They stand side by side in front of their Commanding Officer at attention, as Harm announces, "CDR Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie reporting as ordered, Sir."

The Admiral tells them, "Both of you have a seat. I'm sorry to have to call you in so late, but there is a COD leaving out of Andrews at 0030 Hours, and I want you both on it. The sooner we can wrap this investigation up, the better."

It isn't often that a case is high enough priority to require them to take a COD in the middle of the night. However, cases affecting flight ops aboard a deployed carrier would definitely fit that criteria. Harm inquires, "Mishap, Sir?"

The Admiral hands each of them a folder, "No Commander. Attempted rape. Captain Johnson has requested both of you, personally. Apparently, the victim is a Lieutenant, and also Marine Corps Three Star General Schaeffer's daughter. I don't need to tell you how unhappy he is. He doesn't take too kindly to the Navy as it is, as I get to hear firsthand. He's pissed that his daughter betrayed the Corps and joined the Navy."

Mac struggles to keep a straight face at this tidbit of information.

The Admiral continues, "The accused is also not only Navy, but an F-18 pilot to boot. To try to diminish the amount of feather ruffling, the Captain feels that having a Marine investigate might help keep the General off of his back. I happen to agree with him. Since the accused is a pilot, Captain Johnson also thinks that Harm might be able to break through some of the barriers on that side. Commander Rabb being on the carrier will also have the added bonus of a back-up pilot on board, if needed. The accused, Lieutenant Commander Grayson, is temporarily grounded pending the results of your investigation. I want this case wrapped up as soon as humanly possible. If you encounter any, and I do mean any, problems along the way, you will keep me informed. Understood?"

Harm and Mac instantly reply, "Aye, Aye, Sir."

The Admiral eyes both of them for just a second, trying to discern from their body language if there has been any shift in their relationship. Unfortunately, all he sees before him is two impeccable officers. If tonight's dance class made any type of impression on moving their relationship forward, it wasn't showing through. He states, "Dismissed, and stay out of trouble!"

Mac saw the gleam in Harm's eye at the mere mention of the possibility of time in the air. She rolls her eyes at him. On the way to the elevator, she says, "I saw that look in your eye, you were dreaming about being able to ride an $80 million-dollar piece of equipment."

Harm gives her a full flyboy grin before whispering, "Who says I was dreaming about riding that at all? Personally, I was looking forward to riding something else entirely this evening, until the Admiral interrupted!"

The elevator, for once, has good timing. Once they have stepped inside, and the doors are closed, she exclaims, "Oh, you thought you were going to ride me, huh? Shouldn't that be the other way around?"

Harm teases, "Oh! Is this like in Armageddon, when the guy wants to ride the nuclear warhead? We'll just have to see how you handle that much horsepower Colonel."

Mac taunts, "Well if it's horsepower I have to handle, I will need to consult Martha for some pointers."

Harm questions, "Martha?"

Mac giggles, "Yeah Martha Anderson, Chloe's grandmother. She runs a farm."

Realization still isn't dawning on Harm, "And what does that have to do with this situation?"

Mac plainly says, "She has lots of horses."

Harm continues, "And…..?"

Mac explains, "Well the story goes, if you ride a cowboy, you save the horse. I need to know if the horse would still be spared if you rode a Sailor. After all, we don't want anything detrimental to befall the horse. So, I just need to clarify if I can ride a Sailor and Save a Horse, or If I have to ride the cowboy to save the horse."

Harm just chuckles at her ramblings as the elevator dings signifying their arrival, "Any which way you want it Sarah. I don't mind the top, the bottom, the side, or anywhere else, as long as it is you I am sharing the experience with. Leave the cowboys on the farm!"


	16. Chapter 16: Domestic Lessons

_A/N: So no one caught my boo boo in Chapter 13 & 14 where I put Captain Johnson in charge of the Patrick Henry. Captain Ingalls is the skipper of the Patrick Henry. Captain Johnson is the skipper of the Seahawk. Oops! I have gone back to fix the reference in chapter 13 to change it to the USS Seahawk. Thankfully, I caught it before they will be arriving on the carrier._

* * *

Mac shakes her head as they walk out of JAG HQ. She would like nothing more than to take him back to her apartment, and experience every which way she wants it. She doesn't need a cowboy when she has her Sailor. And she really wants to know the answer as to which way he hangs. Unfortunately, she knows that they can't afford to get into this right now. They need to get their heads into the investigation. This is high profile enough as it is, and the last thing they need is to have the press get wind of it.

Harm asks, "We have just enough time to stop by your apartment on the way to Andrews. Do you want to drop off your car there or just leave it here?"

Mac answers immediately, "I'll just leave it here." She knows darn well if she goes anywhere near her apartment, she might just lose her resolve and drag him up to her bed. While she is currently happy with the direction tonight has taken between the two of them, the timing of this investigation couldn't be worse. Why is the universe always conspiring against them to move their relationship beyond that of close friends?

Harm is surprised at her quick response, but as he glances over at her, he can see the wheels spinning inside her head. He stops in front of her, and lifts her chin so that she will look up at him. With understanding eyes, he places his hands on her shoulders, and says, "I know, Mac. I promise we will get back to what we started tonight when we have this investigation taken care of. I know we definitely have some things to talk about, but I'm ready for the next phase, and I hope you are too."

Mac audibly sighs. She glances up at him with a soft smile, "Thanks, Harm. I'm ready too. It would just be nice if we could catch our breath long enough to actually have that discussion."

Harm runs his hands down his arms and gives her hands a gentle squeeze, "Now, let's get your bag and go catch a not so cushy government flight."

Mac chuckles, "Well, when you put it that way, how can a girl resist?"

Once they are in his SUV, on the way to Andrews, Harm casually asks, "So, did you pack the lingerie this time?"

Mac looks at him incredulously, "For a carrier trip, really Harm?"

Harm banters, "But your sea bag was packed before you know we were headed to a carrier, unless I was more prepared than you this time?"

Mac retorts, "As if! A Marine is always more prepared than the Navy is. Alas, I have no lingerie in my sea bag."

Harm continues teasing, "Darn, and here I was hoping to catch you in something cute while we mull over case files late at night."

With a twinkle in her eye, she tells him, "I didn't say I didn't bring anything cute. I just said I didn't bring any lingerie. They are plenty of flattering outfits that don't contain silk and lace you know."

Harm arches his eyebrow, "Oh, now you have my curiosity piqued. And what kind of outfits are those?"

Mac smiles, "You'll just have to wait and see, Sailor. It wouldn't be near as much fun if I tell you ahead of time."

Harm chuckles, "Well you did look rather cute in that tank top and short shorts on the Watertown."

Mac inquires, "Oh, you liked those, did you?"

Harm tries to backpedal slightly, "Not half as much as the Petty Officers you were dressing down. They probably didn't even care that you were yelling at them, as long as they got to look at you partially undressed."

Mac shrieks, "Harm! I was fully clothed."

Harm tells her, "Power down, Marine. I wasn't trying to suggest that you were wearing anything improper. Just that your assets were much more visible than they are when you are in uniform. And definitely not something submariners are used to seeing while underway."

Mac takes a moment to ponder this information. She says, "Well to avoid any appearance of impropriety in the future, I guess that means I should permanently pack my cowboy jammies in my sea bag."

Harm remembers stopping by her apartment one night when she was wearing said attire, "I rather like your cowboy pajamas."

Mac laughs, "Nope, can't do that. You told me I had to leave the cowboys at home, or at least on the farm."

Harm groans, "Real cowboys, Mac, as in men that ride horses, not the ones on those on PJ's."

Mac smiles coyly, "Well, how was I supposed to know the difference?

Harm sighs, "You are impossible!"

Mac questions, "So, you prefer those to the nightie I wore in Russia?"

Harm ponders this for a moment, trying to keep his thoughts from remembering how gorgeous she looked in that white satin number. The last thing he needs is extremely uncomfortable pants on a military transport. He states, "I think they both have equally valid points."

Mac giggles, "Elaborate, Counselor."

Harm smiles, "The white negligee in Russia was beautiful, but something for special occasions. The cowboy jammies show off your softer, more domestic side."

Mac laughs at the thought, "Ha! You are the one with the domestic side, not me. You know how to clean, how to cook, how to handle kids. You will make someone an excellent wife one day."

Harm thinks to himself, 'No, but someday I hope to make a great husband, your husband.' He will have that conversation with her a little further down the road. For now, he simply tells her, "Thanks, I think. But don't sell your self short, I've seen you with our godson enough to know what a great mom you will make. And once I teach you how to cook, you will make a great wife too!"

She'd love to smack him right now, but he is driving. She settles for giving him an incredulous look, as she tells him, "Harm, you'd better run when you park the car at Andrews."


	17. Chapter 17: The Unexpected Guest

_A/N: I was reminded by a fellow writer that Mac should have just taken him to bed. I can't let her do that just yet. I might let her take him there, but I want to finish having my way with him first! Sorry this one is short, but it was a good place to break._

* * *

**Andrews Air Force Base **

**0015 Hours**

Harm inwardly smiles at Mac's empty threat. Even though she may want to deck him, they are both in uniform, so she will have to behave, for now. He might be safe at the moment, but he has absolutely no doubt that his Marine will retaliate when he is least expecting it. As he pulls the SUV onto the base, after handing the gate guard his credentials, he teases, "I've got a longer stride, you won't be able to catch me if I run."

She chuckles at his typical male selective memory, "Do you not remember that we tied during the JAGATHON?"

Harm stares at her with a cocked eyebrow, "Yeah! With you having a six-minute head start! We don't have time for that tonight. Our plane with be leaving in just a little bit more time than that. And here you claim to have any internal clock, tsk, tsk. You can chase me around the base when we get back, if you so desire!"

She glares at him with a challenge in her eyes, "I could catch you if I wanted to. Why wait to get back? I have a whole carrier I can chase you around on."

Harm smiles as he turns the SUV into a parking space, "I like this picture, the legal weenie chasing the pilot. Might be a little difficult with all the knee knockers on the ship, unless of course you are used to leaping over hurdles. I'm sure that Captain Johnson would totally approve. It might also give the other pilots cause to back off of flirting with you, even though I might take some good-natured ribbing over the whole ordeal. I'm not seeing any downsides to this for me, but be careful though, Colonel, we don't want to tarnish your reputation."

The minute Harm puts the car in park, Mac reels back, and smacks him in the arm, HARD. As he turns to object, she hits him again. He looks at her, mouth open, and she gives him a look that clearly tells him it would be best to keep his mouth shut! He thinks to himself, 'Oops, I guess her threat wasn't empty after all.' His comments though, have served the intended purpose to shift their focus away from their relationship woes, so that they can get their head in the game.

He wordlessly exits the SUV, and goes to the back to retrieve their sea bags. He slings his over his left shoulder, the one she didn't hit, and puts her bag in his right hand. She walks up to him, and starts to show the expression that she normally gives him before she breaks into her "I'm a Marine speech." Before she has a chance to say anything, he states, "Humor me."

Mac nods, and she starts heading towards their waiting transport, with Harm right behind her. Harm places his right hand at the small of her back, giving her a silent indicator that they are still ok. She normally feels a slightly warm feeling when he does that, but, after all the events that have occurred tonight, the simple gesture is making her blood boil. Thankfully, the steps to the plane are few. She sighs, silently thinking, 'this investigation can't be done fast enough.' Little does she know that Harm is thinking the exact same thing.

When they reach the plane, a Petty Officer salutes, and inquires, "Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie, I presume?"

Harm reluctantly removes his hand from Mac's back to return the salute, and replies, "That would be correct, Petty Officer."

The Petty Officer takes the bags from Harm and stows them in the cargo area. "Feel Free to take your seats. We are waiting on one more passenger, a last-minute addition, and then we will be on our way."

Harm and Mac climb aboard, finding the plane having several passengers already on the aircraft. They meander toward the back, and take their seats. They have just strapped themselves into the C-130, when the last passenger steps aboard the aircraft.

Secretary of the Navy, Alexander Nelson, surveys the plane until he spots them. He walks back,taking the seat across from them, and says, "Good evening, Colonel, Commander. You don't mind if I join you, do you?"

Mac responds, "Not at all, Sir. Welcome aboard."

As the plane takes off, Harm and Mac hold a conversation with their eyes that contains one simple phrase, "Oh Shit!"


	18. What You Don't Know Might Hurt You

_A/N: I'm not trying to jump on the "metoomovement", but be fair warned that this chapter does get slightly political. Harassment, and Discrimination of all kinds goes on in this world every day, and many people (both men and women alike) are too afraid to speak up for a variety of reasons. Whether it is in the military, in school, in the workplace, or anywhere else. It doesn't matter your gender, ethnicity, religion, age, etc., hatred affects us all. Sorry for the rant, but this is just where the story took me as I was writing it. Once the case is over, the happier times will return, I promise._

* * *

**Aboard the C-130**

**Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean**

**0200 Hours**

Neither Harm or Mac is very happy to see their unexpected guest. And the night was going so well, even with the twist of events that led to them heading out to a carrier, instead of making out on Mac's couch. Mac had envisioned catching up on some sleep, laying on her Flyboy's shoulder, even with other military on board she didn't think it would have been an issue. Now, with the SecNav here, there was no way that was going to happen. She wouldn't get any sleep, nor would she be leaning on Harm.

Harm is equally discouraged, when he first hears the voice of the man who coined him "Harmful Rabb." He idly wonders what he is doing here. Yes, this is a high-profile case, but the Admiral would have informed them if he knew the SecNav would be watching this closely. His mere presence is borderlining "Undue command influence."

As the SecNav looks at the Colonel and Commander, he immediately notices their rigid posture at his unanticipated appearance, "I'm sure you are both wondering why I am here. Don't worry, it is not my intention to follow the two of you out to the Sea Hawk. Nor is my objective to interfere with your investigation. I received a call from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, after General Schaeffer called him, and gave him an earful on the situation. Apparently, the two of them served together in the past, and have developed a camaraderie of sorts. The Commandant expressed his wishes to have this case resolved as quickly, and discreetly as possible."

Mac nods for him to continue. She too, has experienced similar types of relationships with others she has served with, Gunnery Sergeant Galindez immediately coming to mind, as well as a few men from her days in Bosnia. But none of those compared to her relationship with Harm. She would go to the ends of the Earth for him, and then some. She hesitates for a moment, trying to conjure as diplomatic a response as she can muster, "I understand, Sir, but you could have told us this via a phone call, after we arrived on board. Why hop a transport in the middle of the night?"

The SecNav continues, "After I got off the phone with the Commandant, I placed another call seeking some additional information. I tried to call AJ to inform him of my discussions with the Commandant, but I was unable to reach him. I was near Andrews already, and I knew from my earlier discussion with the Admiral that the two of you would be on this transport, so I figured I could just relay the information to you directly. I want you to be fully prepared for what you are walking into on that carrier, and AJ didn't have all of the pertinent information yet. Besides, I could use a cup of good British tea with the Ambassador when we land in London."

Harm's has conflicted feelings about this. On one hand, the SecNav circumvented the chain of command, which will piss Admiral Chegwidden off to no end. He isn't buying the excuse that AJ was unreachable at all. On the other hand, having all the info ahead of time is definitely helpful, provided the info isn't just rubbish coming from someone wearing rose colored glasses, which he suspects might be the case. He inquires, "What else do we need to know?"

Secretary Nelson lowers his voice to a level that only Harm and Mac can hear, "This information is very close hold. After the call from the Commandant, I did a quick check with the NCIS director to see if there were any other incidents that they were aware of that hadn't required JAG involvement. Apparently, there have been several similar cases reported across the fleet, prior to this one. None of which were from the Sea Hawk. Rumor at NCIS, is that there is a 'Boy's network' out there that deems female personnel on their ships is both unnecessary, and distracting. This group is seeking to remove female personnel from being deployed with them, one way or another. Until now, all of the allegations have been minor, most considered pranks, and nothing that would require a full investigation. However, if you put it all together, there is a definite pattern of behavior. NCIS had just started connecting the dots when this case was reported. If Captain Johnson hadn't informed JAG, they would have."

Mac's eyes widen at this little tidbit of information. "But Mr. Secretary, female personnel have been deployed on ships for quite some time now, why do you think this has all of a sudden become a problem?"

The SecNav sighs, "Colonel, I wish I knew. Perhaps it has been going on along, and those involved were just too afraid to report it."

This simple statement makes Harm's blood boil. He has nothing but the absolutely highest respect for females in the military, except maybe Lt. Singer. Even where she is concerned, it isn't because she is a woman, it's just because she is a witch. Maybe it comes from being around two extremely formidable women during his childhood, his mother and grandmother. Either one, or both of them, would have had his hide if he dared to disrespect a member of the opposite gender. He can't count the amount of times that Mac has saved his six in some not so ideal situations. He is sure that more than a few enlisted personnel could attest to the fact that she is a force to be reckoned with. He actually believes that she is stronger than he is, and god forbid anyone cross her, as hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Trying to keep his temper under control, Harm asks, "You don't think that this has anything to do with woman wanting to cross the last frontier and end up servings on submarines do you?"

The SecNav raises his eyebrows, "I didn't even consider the timing, but I guess that is a plausible theory. Maybe more women are coming forward with allegations of prior harassment, as they see further opportunities open up to them, whereas before they just stayed quiet. Maybe the men were ok with a handful of spots being occupied by women, but when they become integrated mainstream into almost all fields, such as pilots, and Captains, they began to feel threatened. I really don't know all the details of the motivation behind this. You two should be able to flesh it out during your investigation. If I had known some of this information earlier, I definitely would have asked for you two to do the investigations. You both are highly respected by both genders. We will definitely start with the high-profile current case, but I think we will need to backtrack through the other information that NCIS has been able to collect and look at those as well. I don't need to tell you that discretion is of the utmost necessity."

Mac replies, "No, you don't. We will handle this investigation and any other subsequent ones as expeditiously, and as quietly as possible. But, we do have to report to the Admiral on our findings."

The SecNav looks her directly in the eye. and says, "No you don't, you need to report them to me."

Mac looks at him incredulously, "With all due respect, Sir, I have an obligation to report my information to my Commanding Officer. Additionally, I have too much respect for the Admiral to leave him out. There is no way he would be involved in this at all. I will NOT keep him out of the loop on this, and if that means charging me with disobeying a direct order, you can start the paperwork for the court martial right now."


	19. Chapter 19: Marine 1, SecNAV 0

_A/N: The rotten author that hasn't updated this story in months should be smacked, just saying! It's bad when you write yourself into a corner and aren't sure how to get out of it. I'm ready to get back to the lightheartedness, and dance classes, but it will take a few chapters to get there._

* * *

**Aboard the C-130**

**0220 hours**

The SecNav narrows his eyes at Mac, surprised that she has the audacity to challenge him that way. He would have expected that coming from Rabb, but not MacKenzie. Perhaps they have been partnered too long that his tendencies are rubbing off on her. He would consider having AJ reassign one of them, preferably "Harmful Rabb", the hell out of Washington, but the problem is there is no other team in the entire JAG Corps that can compare to them. Much to the SecNav's chagrin, both of their stars are on the rise, and there isn't a damn thing he can really do about it. They are too well respected, both in the military, and outside of it. Congresswoman Latham would likely have his head on a platter before a Congressional Committee if he tried to separate them. If this case ends up on her purview, she might find a guillotine for him anyway. He really needs to tread lightly here, as he knows the Congresswoman is a strong advocate for women's rights in the military, and she still keeps in touch with the JAG Officers. He fears her a lot more than he fears Admiral Chegwidden.

To say that Harm is shocked at Mac's response would be an understatement. How he wants to wrap his arms around her, or at least squeeze her hand in silent support, but he can't do that in front of the SecNav. He will have to settle for a look, and hope that she can read the message behind his eyes.

Harm is also fully aware of how much respect she has for Admiral Chegwidden, but he feels there is a deeper story going on here than she is letting on. He really wonders how much of this has to do with the SecNav's comments related to the Admiral, and how much has to do with the "Boy's network" trying to rid the service of female personnel. He strongly feels it has more to do with the latter. Maybe it's because she too, has been subject to harassment that she didn't report. He doesn't think it was at Okinawa, but perhaps during her time in Bosnia. Harm doubts that anything has happened during her tenure at JAG, as he is pretty sure he would have known if that was the case. She might not have trusted him fully in the early years of their partnership, but they have grown a lot since then. Then again, she didn't tell him that she had a husband either until it blew up in her face, so maybe something did happen since she has been at JAG. He immediately shakes that thought away, he doesn't want to think that after all this time that they are still keeping secrets from one another.

Another introspection that dawns on Harm is that several of the comments that he makes to Mac himself, could in and of themselves, be considered harassment. They have often shamelessly flirted, and made statements that had the potential to have meanings of a sexual nature. However, other than occasionally throwing each other a "yellow light" or a "red light" in the early years, they haven't seemed to be unwelcomed on either side. In fact, tonight, his actions seemed to be green lit all the way. He does realize that as close as they were getting before they got the call for this investigation, those actions will need to be shelved during their time on the ship. It doesn't mean he won't think about it though!

The mere thought of him being lumped in with a group of males that believe women shouldn't have every opportunity in the service as the men do, makes him sick to his stomach. Harriet, Meg Austin, Traci Manetti, Jordan, Mac, are all perfect examples of upstanding officers who earned their way. The only other exception of upstanding female officers he has encountered, besides Lt. Singer of course, that sticks out in his mind like a sore thumb is Allison Krennick. He wouldn't doubt that she probably slept her way to where she is. There are probably several men in the service, himself included, that were subjected to harassment by her. He also doubts that any of them ever voiced it, he surely knows that he didn't. His damn ego at the time wouldn't let him. He is inclined to believe that if it happened to him at this stage in life, that he might have handled the entire situation differently.

This whole night has taken a very frustrating turn in Harm's mind. The phone call sending them on this case was the first unfortunate event, the Sec-Nav being on the plane made it worse, and the information that Nelson has just relayed is the straw that breaks the camel's back. His can almost feel his blood boiling. He wants to rewind the last few hours to where he was holding Mac in his arms at the dance studio, or when he was nuzzling the back of her neck at her apartment. Maybe, if he is lucky, there will be a problem with the transport taking them to the Seahawk when they land. Not so much with the plane, but a weather delay would be nice. After all, London is known to have some occasional temperamental climate conditions that only a bear donning a yellow raincoat and red boots seems to enjoy.

Harm looks between the SecNav and Mac, trying to determine which one of them will blink first. The SecNav issued a challenge, and Mac threw the gauntlet right back at him. He would gently tell her to "Power down, Marine," if he thought it would do any good. However, Mac has that definite look of fire in her eyes, the one that Harm has seen on several occasions that states emphatically, "Don't mess with me, I'm a Marine." However, Harm seriously doubts that the SecNav will heed the warning being expressed from her posture, her demeanor, and her words. He inwardly cringes as he realizes the potential fallout on this one, but he also knows that Mac will need a comforting presence to chill her out once she has a chance to separate herself from the situation. And he will gladly be the one to provide it, even if he has to tell her good-bye at the airport if the SecNav chooses to send her home. Harm idly wonders how Nelson would respond if Harm passionately kissed Mac right in front of him. Thankfully, Harm manages to keep the grin on the inside.

After narrowing his eyes at Mac for what seems like several minutes, the SecNav is the first to see reason, and backs down. He really wasn't expecting MacKenzie to challenge him, but doesn't want to push the envelope any further, especially not to formal charges. Much to his dismay, he needs her on this case. He relents, "Fine, we will call AJ when we land, and fill him in on the current situation." He shifts in his seat, attempting to get comfortable in this contraption that they have the nerve call a transport. He is definitely used to traveling in more posh conditions. He gruffs, "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to try and catch a few hours of sleep."


	20. Chapter 20: What's Your Breed?

_A/N: I felt the need to bring out my love of pups this chapter. Having owned a pit bull/beagle mix for over 14 years that was one of the sweetest dogs I have ever had, the statements in here regarding that breed are valid. I'm personally scared to death of Dobermans, but that was due to a rather unpleasant experience with several of them as a child. I'm sure that there are very nice ones in that breed too. _

* * *

Enjoying the break with Secretary Nelson asleep, Harm and Mac move to a location away from others on the plane to try and discuss the approach they should take during this investigation. Harm can still feel the aggravation rolling off of Mac in waves. As they take their new seats away from the group, Harm starts to ask something, before he is immediately shut down by Mac, "Not now, Harm." She isn't fully aware which subject he wants to talk about, but the case is the only thing she wants to think about at the moment. She needs to keep her head in the game, before all the emotions swirling inside of her take over.

Glancing around to see if anyone is paying any attention them, and finding almost everyone asleep, Harm sits Mac down next to him, turns her so that her back is to him, and lightly sets his hands on the back of her shoulders. Mac says, "Harm, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but I don't need you to coddle me."

Harm ignores her statement as he starts to gently knead her shoulders, "Just sit still, Mac, you need to let some of the anger and tension go or you will be of no use to me on this investigation."

She sighs, and leans back into his hands. Regardless of her earlier protesting, she knows he is right. Besides that, it feels wonderful to have his hands on her in any capacity.

He knows that he can't do this for long, with present company on board, but he is fully aware of the headache she will have if she doesn't calm down a little. Anything he can do to ease her frustration level some is a good thing, and he can already feel some of the tension start to escape. He tells her, "Ignore Nelson, he was just trying to get your goat. However, we are going to talk later about what got you so on edge. I know that this isn't only about leaving the Admiral out of the loop."

She wasn't going to argue with him about this. He was right, she just didn't know how to explain it to him. But this was neither the time nor the place to discuss such things. Her only reply is a deep sigh.

Noticing she has gotten too quiet, and feeling the need to lighten the moment, he teases her, "The SecNav should have known better than to bring a chihuahua to a pit bull fight!"

Mac chuckles, "And here I thought you were the one that was considered a pit bull. Or maybe it was a Doberman. I really can't remember. But, if they knew the real you, your doggie profile would be more like a Samoyed."

Harm banters, "Nah, I'm more like a bloodhound, sniffing out all the pertinent information" before he realizes the rest of what she said. He exclaims, "Hey! What did you just call me?"

Mac giggles, "A Samoyed. They are beautiful white dogs that have double thick coats. They are all fluffy on the outside and on the inside."

Harm immediately stops his light massage, "I can't believe you called me 'fluffy', next thing I know you will be comparing me to the Pillsbury™ Dough Boy. And, there is absolutely nothing on the outside of me that remotely resembles fluffy."

Mac grabs his hand and places it back on her shoulders, "Well, Samoyed puppies can often be mistaken for polar bear cubs. So, you can think of yourself as fluffy with a deep growl and ready to pounce at any given moment if that makes you feel any better. I'll bet that your chest hair is nice and fluffy!"

Harm isn't quite sure how he should respond to that. Yes, many of his past girlfriends have wanted to use his chest as a pillow, but he attributed that to his well-defined pectoral muscles and broad shoulders more than his chest hair. Who knew? Maybe they did like him because he was cute and cuddly. 'Nope' he thinks to himself. 'I'm not going to compare myself to a teddy bear.'

While Harm is musing, Mac adds, "And you insinuated that I was a mean dog. I will have you know; pit bulls can be sweet too. They are definitely not as vicious as people claim them to be, it's all in how they are raised."

Harm shakes his head, "I wasn't implying that you were mean, just that your bite could match your bark."

She turns her head, and smiles coyly at him, "And just how would you know what my bite feels like, Flyboy?"

Harm thinks to himself, 'Did the temperature just rise several degrees in here?' before he managers to stammer, "Well, I guess I wouldn't." Then, he leans over and whispers in her ear, "Not that I wouldn't like to find out."

A shiver involuntarily runs through Mac at the thought of nibbling on his ear and nipping at his pulse point, among other places. 'Down Girl!'

Harm notices her shudder, stops his ministrations, and pulls his leather bomber jacket off to wrap around her. "I don't want you to be cold there, Marine."

She quietly says, "Thanks," even though they are both fully aware that she isn't cold from the temperature on the plane.


	21. A Jolt Paints a Clearer Picture

_A/N: I absolutely hate it when your mind is trying to focus on something, and another idea won't get out of your head. Most times, I just stick it in a file to work on later, but the one today wasn't letting go, so I had to write some of it out._

The plane hits a little turbulence, jarring Mac away from her peaceful slumber. When she fell asleep, she was upright, with her head resting against the side of the plane. Apparently, her subconscious thoughts kicked in during her rest, because her head was now attached to the perfect spot of Harm's chiseled shoulder. She tries to clear the cobwebs from her eyes as she looks around, hoping no one, especially the SecNav, noticed her preferred pillow.

Happy that no one seems to have seen her precarious position, she turns her eyes to study her partner. Harm still appears to blissfully asleep, worry lines evident on his forehead, but a faint smile on his lips. She idly wonders what he is thinking about that would be causing such diverse emotions. She should have realized that he is probably used to being knocked around in flight, so a little turbulence wouldn't phase him in the least. Another jolt, this one more forceful, finally jars him awake. Simultaneously, they hear the co-pilot yell back, "You folks might want to make sure you are strapped in tight back there. We are coming up on some ugly weather. We are trying to divert around the storm cells, but it could get bumpy for a little while."

Mac's slight shiver from before is nothing compared to icy feeling that runs straight down to her toes at the mere mention of flying in a storm. Her normally sun-kissed skin turns ashen. She will never forget the night that Harm was lost in the middle of the frigid Atlantic. She could feel how hypothermic he was that night, even before that official diagnosis came when they fished him out of the water. Although she never wanted to be that cold again, EVER, she blessed that their connection made it possible for her to locate him. Lord knows that the search crews weren't having any luck.

Harm wraps his hand around hers, and gives a gentle squeeze. Even in the dimly lit area, he intimately knows where her thoughts have gone. He would have been warmer in an igloo in Iceland that terrible night. However, he is thankful that Skates hadn't been subjected to the freezing water as long as he had. She might not have survived, he barely made it himself. If it wasn't for his guardian angel and their special connection, and the willingness of Captain Ingalls to go on faith and listen to the unconventional, he wouldn't have. He quietly tells Mac, "It will be okay this time, we will never have to relive that night again."

Mac mutely nods, accepting Harm's reassuring words at face value, but knowing that neither one of them will ever forget that night, regardless of the fate of this flight.

She decides to try and focus her thoughts on something else, and inquires, "Harm, how do you think we should handle this investigation?"

Harm inhales deeply, thankful for the change of subject, but at the same time knowing that his thoughts on this might upset her. He replies, "Well Marine, due to the sensitive nature of the subject, we may want to investigate this along gender lines. It's not usually my preference, but in this case I'm not sure that we have much of a choice."

She stares at him for a moment, not ready to agree with this thought process, but not ready to dismiss it out of hand yet either. She almost wanted to joke about her plan of inviting every member of the squadron to her quarters for tea while she interrogated them, but the haunted look in his eyes made the words die on her lips.

Before she can respond, he continues, "I don't want to be accused in any way, shape, or form of being a part of this so-called "Boy's Network". Further, I don't want to even fathom the idea of one of those guys coming after you. If that were to happen, the only way you would be able to see me would be in Leavenworth, because I would be up on murder charges."

She wants to be angry with him for implying that she is incapable of taking care of herself, but at the same time her heart swoons that he would do anything to keep her safe. This is one of those scenarios where his tendencies to be over-protective would normally bug the crap out of her, but she knows he is right. There aren't too many places to hide on a ship if someone is really after you, and she doesn't want to fall victim either. Even if she can probably rival eighty-three percent of the personnel on the ship in hand to hand combat skills. She surmises that sometimes having a 6'4" partner, not to mention a cocky pilot, looking out for your best interests isn't a bad thing.

Another terrible feeling runs through her at the mere notion of seeing him in an orange jumpsuit. She can't picture Harm in the brig, let alone Leavenworth. And with all the people he has been personally responsible for putting in there, he would be dead himself within a week. She brushes it off, "You wouldn't go that far Harm."

Harm looks her directly in the eye, with his jaw set, and emphatically states, "Mac, if a guy physically caused you any pain, especially of a sexual assault nature, you can bet your green marine butt that I would go that far! Hell, I'd probably kill him twice, just to make sure he was dead!"

Although she has seen firsthand what can happen when he allows his anger to take over, she can't see him doing it on her behalf. He usually has such a tight rein on his emotions, that she rarely sees an overt display of any emotion. The docks at Norfolk appearing foremost in her mind of one of the few times she has seen him lose control. The rational side of her brain tells her that he acted that way because he loved Diane with every fiber in his being, and wanted her killer brought to justice. Even with how close they were earlier this evening; she isn't quite ready to believe that he loves her.

As the plane bucks again, her memories are jolted to another time that his emotions ran away from him, in a split second in Australia, when he went to punch Mic and ended up breaking Bud's jaw. Bud swore that it was an accident, and that they were fighting over her, but she had dismissed that idea out of hand, thinking that back then Harm didn't have those types of feelings for her. In fact, he had flat out resisted her advances on the ferry shortly before that fight. However, now that she remembers those things with the gift of hindsight, in additional to his current words, it is definitely making her wonder now if he does in fact love her, and has for a long time.


	22. Chapter 22: Clueless

**Chapter 22: Clueless**

Trying to lighten the mood slightly, and knowing airplanes are one of Harm's favorite subjects, Mac inquires, "So do you think you will get in any flying time while we are on board?"

Harm ponders this for a moment. Now that him and Mac might be moving in the direction of a relationship, at least he is hoping that was where tonight was headed, he isn't really sure that he wants to be in an F-14 on a dangerous mission that could risk bringing him back to her. He shrugs his shoulders, indifferently, and responds in a monotone voice, "Not really sure. Don't know if I really want to."

Mac places the back of her hand against his forehead. Not detecting a fever, she reaches back up, and pinches his cheek, Hard.

Harm rubs the side of his face, "Ouch! What the hell was that for?"

Mac tries to keep her voice down as she tells him, "I don't know what is up with you tonight. First, you kiss me. Then, you won't let the SecNav harass me, and now you aren't sure if you want to fly a Tomcat. I'm merely checking to see if you are running a temperature, and when I didn't notice one, I figured I'd better make sure that Palmer hadn't stolen your face again. As adorable as it is, I told you before I can only handle one of you in my life. You are not acting like the Harmon Rabb I know at all. What is going on?"

Harm chuckles, "It's me, I swear. I'm not quite sure how to explain it. Maybe now my priorities are different, and I have realized that there are more important things than flying. Maybe it isn't the number one thing in my world anymore."

Mac's mind flashes back again, this time to the night he came to her apartment to let her know he was changing his designator to go back to an active squadron. She had accused him then of valuing flying over JAG, Jordan, and everything else. She had stopped just short of saying that he valued it over her. She knows what he is trying to say, and her eyes go wide. This is another item to place in the "I think he loves me" column. Come to think of it, those points are really starting to add up. All this time, she has waited for the words, and his actions over the years, especially recently, have spoken volumes.

Why do they have to be cooped up in the back of a damn military transport on their way to a floating heap of metal in the middle of the ocean? She really should have let them stop at her apartment on the way to the airfield, and led him up to bed first. That way she could show him that she feels the same way. She smiles, "I understand what you are saying, Harm, and thank you."

He looks directly into her eyes, and quietly asks, "Do you?"

She smiles, and then sighs. She says, "Yeah, I really do. However, I don't think that Captain Johnson is going to see things the same way. The last time you were aboard, he put you in the front seat because you understand the law, and the Rules of Engagement. That hasn't changed, you are still valuable to him."

Harm answers, "That might be, but this is a high-profile case. Hopefully he will realize that my skills as a lawyer and investigator are more important in this instance than my skills as a pilot. Unless he absolutely needs me, I really don't want to be launched off the deck of the carrier this trip."

Mac gives a non-committal, "Hmm."

Harm inquires, "What's that for?"

Mac replies, "Nothing, I was just thinking about the RIO that he assigned you last time we were on the Seahawk."

Harm thinks back for a moment, "Are you talking about Lt. Jorgensen?"

Mac responds, "Yep. If she is still on board, we might want to break from the gender lines in our investigation where she is concerned. She is definitely more likely to talk to you than to me."

Harm, slightly shocked, asks, "Why do you think that?"

Mac shakes her head, chuckling, "Harm. You are completely oblivious when it comes to women. That woman had the hots for you! Big time!"

Harm looks at her, incredulous, "What? You can't be serious."

Mac gets a good laugh at his expense, "As I said, clueless."

Harm continues to argue, "Mac, she was just pumped up on adrenaline from that crazy mission we were on. We barely made it back aboard in one piece, and our aircraft wasn't as lucky. It required a bunch of repairs. She was not flirting with me!"

Mac supplies, "Yep, If I remember her words correctly, they were something along the lines of 'things happening with you around.' You can be guaranteed she wanted something more to happen with you, and in a much more personal nature."

Harm shakes his head, "Well, if that's the case, she is just going to be out of luck. The only woman on that ship that I have any intention of being alone with is definitely not her. So, my big bad partner will just have to be around to protect me. However, there is one thing that definitely hasn't changed since that last trip."

Mac asks, "What's that?"

Harm squeezes her hand, and replies softly, "I'm still glad that you are here."


	23. Chapter 23: Your Cell or Mine

**Chapter 23: Your Cell or Mine**

The plane jolts again, and Mac finds herself grabbing a firmer hold on Harm's bicep. He doesn't mind in the least. He tells her, "Steady, Marine. That wasn't turbulence, it was just a reduction in altitude."

No sooner has Harm finished saying that, when another announcement comes from the cockpit, "We will begin our descent shortly, and we will be on the ground in London in about 45 minutes. For those of you continuing on to Rammstein, there will be a delay due to a mechanical issue with the transport. You get to spend the afternoon and evening in The Big Smoke, and hope that smog doesn't prevent the plane from heading there in the morning. I'm assured that accommodations are already being set up for those of you affected. You will be happy to note that it won't be at the BOQ either, as they are currently full. So, enjoy the lovely sites of London for a night. Just don't get too drunk and miss the plane in the morning."

A loud roar of laughter can be heard from various personnel on board. The SecNav of course is an exception, but the only expression he ever seems to wear is some form of a scowl. In this case, it's a very deep one. He is sure that the Commandant will not be too thrilled with the delay either. Unfortunately, short of putting Mackenzie and Rabb on a last-minute ticket to Germany on a commercial airliner, he really doesn't have much of a choice.

Harm nudges Mac, "Let's move back up front so I can remind the SecNav that we have a call to make to our CO before getting settled in for the night. Please let me do the talking this time. He already hates me, and we don't need him any more fired up at you. I'll need my gung-ho Ninja-girl on this investigation with me. I'm also sure that Captain Johnson won't be happy with the delay in our arrival, considering the circumstances of the personnel involved. However, he will take that news better from a two-star than from us."

Mac nods her agreement. Just the thought of being in close proximity to the SecNav again is making the anger boil inside of her.

Harm teases, "Now, do you need a hand to steady you to get us back to our original seats?"

The glaring look Mac gives him is the only message he needs to realize she no longer wants his assistance. He waves his hands in surrender, "I just wanted to save you from falling incase we hit turbulence again."

They reach their seats to find the SecNav fidgeting around in his. He complains, "These damn things have got to be the most cramped seats I have ever sat in."

Harm buckles himself in, and comments dryly, "What do you expect Sir, it's the Navy, not the Ritz. These planes were built for practical purposes, not convenience, and most likely by the lowest bidder that met the required technical specs. If you wanted comfort and privacy, perhaps you should have conned one of the Directors of the various Washington agencies to let us use one of their planes. Then we could have been alone, relaxed, gone over files, and had a nice glass of champagne. However, those of us in the Service have become accustomed to living in tight spaces. Just wait until you have to spend the night on a steel rack that isn't big enough for your frame."

The SecNav narrows his eyes at Rabb, grumbling, "There wasn't time. However, that is a good thought if I ever have to make this kind of trip in the middle of the night again." Harm refrains from telling him that it was HIS choice to make this trip.

Harm also tries his best not to tune him out as Nelson continues rambling, "I'll also remind you that I'm not going to the carrier with you. So, while you are sleeping with half of your legs dangling off the rack, I will be enjoying a nice fluffy King Size bed courtesy of the British Prime Minister."

Mac gets a tight smile on her face, ready to interject, but Harm beats her to the punch. With his jaw set, his annoyance clearly evident, he replies, "As soon as we have talked to Admiral Chegwidden, you can feel free to enjoy all the pomp and circumstances that comes with your title, Sir. I'll be happy to enjoy the smells of salt water and jet fuel. But to each their own."

When they touch down in London, Harm gestures for the SecNav to lead the way, more out of duty than respect. He doesn't respect the man any further than he can throw him. Harm and Mac stay several paces behind him, and Mac starts to admonish Harm, "And you told me to tread lightly?!"

Harm gets a goofy grin on his face and asks, "What did I do?

Mac chuckles, "You outright insulted him."

Harm laughs, "No I didn't. I just insinuated that he and I have a very different opinion of the simple pleasures in life."

Mac jokes, "At this rate, we are both going to end up in the brig before we leave London, and we won't be able to bail each other out."

Harm smiles, remembering a time he found himself in a cell and Mac had to come bail not only him, but Bud and the Admiral as well, out of jail. He says, "Well at least this time it doesn't involve a pregnant stripper or my stolen dress whites."

Mac merely shakes her head, "I don't know about you sometimes, Flyboy."

Harm leans over and whispers in her ear, "So does that mean it wouldn't be a good time to ask your cell or mine?"


	24. Chapter 24: Play Nice

_A/N: It's hard to believe that it was a year ago today that I posted my very first story. Thanks to all the folks that encouraged me to write, and all those who are still reading. I appreciate each and every one of you!_

* * *

**Chapter 24: Play Nice**

They deplane to find a Lance Corporal standing by with room assignments, and transportation to their destinations for the various personnel being delayed in their travels. The few officers have rental cars at their disposal, while the enlisted have a van standing by ready to take them to their accommodations. The SecNav, of course, has the VIP treatment of a limo and driver.

Harm hangs back until most of the personnel have departed before asking the Corporal, "Is there an office nearby that we can use to check in with our CO?"

The Lance Corporal responds, "Yes Sir, the building right behind us will have whatever you need. Just let the Petty Officer on duty know what you require."

The SecNav, comes to stand beside Harm and Mac, and frustratingly states, "Somewhere private. We have sensitive matters to discuss."

The Corporal bounces back to attention, "Yes Sir, Mr. Secretary, Sir! If you give me just one moment to make sure everyone is on their way, I will escort you personally."

Harm takes one look at the SecNav who appears to be rather annoyed. 'Oh well' Harm thinks, 'it was his bright idea to hop on the plane in the first place. It's high time he had to deal with how the real Navy works.' Seeing that the SecNav isn't going to offer any type of verbal response, the Commander replies, "Thanks Corporal, we appreciate it."

Harm looks at the SecNav, and says, "Sir, I am going to store our luggage in the car first, if you don't mind?"

Before the SecNav can answer, the Corporal smartly responds, "Sir, I'll take care of all of that for you, once I get you settled in the office."

Harm is about to argue that it isn't necessary, but Mac jabs him in the ribs as he starts to open his mouth. He shoots her a glare, but wisely replies, "Thank you, Corporal, that will be fine."

Mac nods her head, whether in agreement with him, or just satisfied that she won, Harm isn't sure.

They arrive in the designated office, and Harm places the call to JAG OPS, hoping that Tiner has arrived already. It's just a little past 0500 EST, so the odds of him being there are slim, but Harm figures he will try there first anyway so that he can get a read on the Admiral's mood. Just like the Marine standing next to him, it's usually not a good idea to talk to a former Seal before his first cup of coffee in the morning.

Unfortunately, the duty officer answers on the second ring, "JAG Ops, Petty Officer Landry speaking."

Harm states, "Good morning Petty Officer. This is Commander Rabb. I was hoping to catch Tiner, but I guess he hasn't arrived yet."

The Petty Officer responds, "No Sir, I'm sorry he isn't here."

Harm decides to take a chance and inquires, "I suppose the Admiral isn't in yet either?"

The Petty Officer chuckles, "No Sir. I would certainly hope not! It's never good for the Admiral's yeoman to arrive after the Admiral. Having a two-star answer his own phone could be disastrous to one's career. I can transfer you directly to the Admiral's cell if you would like?"

Harm shares the man's good mood, "Truer words were never spoken. That's ok, Petty Officer, I can call him myself. Thank you for the assistance."

The SecNav sighs, frustrated by another delay. He grumbles, "Why don't you two get a cup of coffee, and I am going to go find a restroom. We can try AJ on his cell phone when we ALL return."

Mac replies, "Sorry, Sir, it is still rather early on the East Coast, but the Admiral is usually in before the sun comes up so we should be able to reach him soon."

The SecNav simply exits the room, slams the door, and yells to the room of various personnel, "Where the hell can a man pee around here?"

A Petty Officer immediately jumps up, "I'll lead you there, Sir."

Harm peeks through the blinds a minute later.

Mac inquires, "What are you doing?"

Harm says, "Seeing if the coast is clear yet to venture out of here, and figure out where the break room is."

Mac rolls her eyes at him, and looks over the phone on the desk. She isn't surprised to see a button marked on the speed dial as "front desk." She dials it, and asks the person on the other end where to get a cup of coffee, and thanks them for their help. She grabs Harm's elbow, and says "Let's go, Flyboy."

On the short trip to the breakroom, Mac asks, "What did the duty officer tell you?"

Harm says, "That a yeoman should never arrive after his commanding officer, else he is taking his own career, and life, into unchartered and deadly waters."

Mac chuckles, "I remember the time when Harriet was on maternity leave after having little AJ, and Tiner took over the filing system in her absence. The Admiral was livid with Tiner for messing everything up. He couldn't find his weekly schedule, he didn't know who was on duty, or catching cases, or anything. The Admiral claimed the only thing that could fix the office was a lobotomy."

Harm laughs, "I could see him wanting to replace Tiner's brain, or lack thereof, on occasion. Why don't I remember this?"

Mac hangs her head, her mood instantly turning melancholy, and quietly says, "It's when you went back to the squadron, right after you got your eyes fixed."

Harm sets his coffee on the counter, and places both hands on Mac's shoulders, feeling ashamed, he tells her, "I'm sorry, Mac. I left so many things unsaid back then." He wants to pull her into his arms, but he knows he can't given their current location.

Mac asks, "Are they going to stay unsaid?"

Harm shakes his head, "No, Mac. I would think that my actions last night/this morning would have given you a hint, but we will talk about it when we have a chance to catch our breath."

Mac questions, "Do you promise?"

Harm tilts her chin up, and looks into her soulful brown eyes that he could easily drown in. His words are soft, but spoken with conviction, "Yes, Sarah, I promise."

The sound of her given name on his lips nearly takes her breath away. There is so much Mac wants to say, but she spies Secretary Nelson out of the corner of her eye, being escorted back to the office they were given. She sighs, "I'm holding you to that, but duty calls," nodding her head in the direction of the SecNav. She sidesteps Harm, and quickly pours another cup of coffee, and grabs some creamer, sugar, and a stir stick to take back with her, not having any clue how the Secretary likes his coffee.

Harm asks, "You need two cups? It isn't that weak."

She shakes her head at him, "No, Harm! It's for the SecNav. I thought I'd try to place nice. You should try it sometime."

Harm laughs, "This isn't kindergarten, Mac."

She winks at him over her shoulder, "You could have fooled me."


	25. Chapter 25: My Name is Not Ben

_A/N: Ok, last part with the SecNav, at least for now. I'm not a big fan of him either._

* * *

**Chapter 25: My Name is Not Ben!**

When everyone is settled back in the office, Mac offers the coffee, and the condiments, to the SecNav. He waves his hand, "No thank you, Colonel, I prefer tea."

Harm murmurs, "Guess you should have brought some scones."

Mac shoots him a death glare. She tells the Secretary, "I'm sorry, Sir. Would you like me to ask the Petty Officer to bring you a cup?"

Secretary Nelson grumbles, "No thank you. If you two could stop arguing like a group of schoolgirls for five minutes, we could just get this over with. I do not want to be late for my tea time with the Prime Minister."

Harm mutters under his breath, "Only in London, everywhere else in the world "tea/tee time" means golf." He raises his voice, and gestures toward Mac, "No worries, Mr. Secretary. Ben here will ensure you are on time."

The SecNav inquires, "Ben?"

Harm says, "Yeah, you know 'Big Ben,' the clock here in London that is known for its impeccable accuracy with time, and has multiple bells that chime every fifteen minutes. Mac has an internal clock that could rival it any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Although I've never heard her utter a 'cuckoo' on the hour. Unless of course daylight savings time kicks in, then it makes her think twice."

The SecNav arches his eyebrow in question, not really believing a word of this.

Mac supplies, "10:34 local time, Sir."

While Nelson in glancing at his watch to verify her skills, she nudges Harm in the stomach with her elbow, "My name is not Ben!"

The SecNav responds, "Impressive, Colonel."

Mac gives a small smile, happy that the earlier tension between them has dissipated. However, she is contemplating hurting Harm later.

Harm hits the intercom button, and starts dialing the Admiral's cellphone, gesturing between the handset and Mac.

As it is ringing, she groans, "Ugh, Why me?"

Harm shrugs his shoulders, "Because he likes you better."

Harm replies with an "OOF", as she jabs him again right below the ribs, just as you hear "Chegwidden" on the intercom. Harm surmises he will have to wait until later to tell her he would like to ring the bell on her clock, or at the very least knock it out of whack. Any injury he might sustain would be worth it just to be with her.

Mac clears her throat before speaking, "Good morning, Sir. I just wanted to let you know that the Commander and I, as well as Secretary Nelson, have landed safely in London, but will be delayed in our travels out to the carrier."

AJ's eyebrows travel up to his hairline. What in the hell is the SecNav doing in London with them? Well he can't very ask that question at the moment. He cautiously responds, "I see. What's going on Colonel?"

Mac decides to start with the case before explaining their delay, "Apparently the SecNav received some additional information after you briefed us last night. We didn't find this out until he boarded the transport."

The Admiral replies, "Let me guess. This case might not be an isolated incident?"

Harm and Mac drop their jaws.

Nelson responds with an irritated tone, "That would be correct, AJ. How did you know that already?"

Chegwidden inwardly grins. He loves it when he can pull one over on that asshole. He replies, "The Director of NCIS called me earlier this morning. They have a team on route to Norfolk for another case that might in fact be linked to this one. Thus far, the only suggestion that these cases may be related is that both of the accused were at the Academy at the same time. In and of itself, that is nothing that would hold up in court, and could very well be just a coincidence, but they aren't taking any chances. Director Vance has other agents at Headquarters sifting through various other military and civilian cases to see if they can find any other corroboration to these incidents."

Nelson squints his eyes, thoroughly perturbed that AJ possesses more information than he does. He is going to have a word with the Director when he returns to Washington. He crudely replies, "I see."

Chegwidden continues, "I want you two to tread lightly on this investigation. We don't know if there might be other players involved, so watch your sixes. I don't want a repeat of what happened on the Watertown."

Harm and Mac reply immediately, "Aye, Aye, Sir."

AJ adds, "If you happen to hear any scuttlebutt related to similar incidents, I want to be informed immediately, and I will pass that information up to those who need to know."

Harm and Mac simultaneously respond, "Understood, Sir."

AJ asks, "Mr. Secretary, is there anything else either my officers or I need to be aware of?"

Nelson offers a curt, "No."

Chegwidden replies, "Good. Now, why are you delayed in London?"

Mac offers, "Mechanical issues with the transport, Sir. They expect to have the issue resolved so that we can fly out of here in the morning, weather permitting."

The Admiral sighs, "I'm going to have Tiner check to see if he can get you to Germany on a commercial airliner sometime today instead. Time really is of the essence here. Do you have a place you can grab a few hours of rack time in case he is successful?"

Harm replies, "Yes, Sir. A corporal here made hotel reservations for us, and informed them that we would be checking in early."

AJ uses this as the perfect excuse to be able to talk to his officers alone, without the SecNav's interference. He responds, "Ok, when you have checked into your rooms, buzz Tiner to see if he found anything, and I will pass any additional information on, if anything has changed."

Harm and Mac both understand the unspoken message. They simultaneously reply, "Yes, Sir. Anything else?"

Chegwidden replies, "Not for me, is there anything else you need Mr. Secretary?"

Nelson replies, "No. I'll call you later after I meet with the Prime Minister, AJ. I will be heading back to the States this evening. If you hear anything else from Director Vance, please leave a message with the Embassy for me to call you."

AJ is very thankful that Nelson won't be accompanying Harm and Mac to the carrier. He replies, "Will do, Sir. Chegwidden, out."

Harm presses the button to release the speakerphone, and turns to the SecNav, extending his hand, "Let us know if you need anything else, Sir, and enjoy your visit with the Prime Minister."

Nelson reluctantly shakes the offered hand, and nods to Mac in acknowledgement before heading to his awaiting limo.

After Nelson has left, Harm falls into the desk chair with an exasperated sigh.

Mac looks at him with her eyebrows raised.

Harm chuckles, and gives her a wide grin. "Don't give me that look, Marine, I was taking a note from your playbook and being nice."


	26. Chapter 26: It's Got Potential

Chapter 26: It's Got Potential

* * *

Harm and Mac exit the building, thankful to finally be rid of the SecNav. On the way to the car, walking in perfect sync side by side, Harm inquires, "Hey Mac, now that we have lost the suit, do you mind if we take a walk around for just a little bit before driving to the hotel?"

Mac replies, "No, why?"

Harm states, "I'm just a little stiff, and I would really like to work some of these kinks out before I have to fold myself into a compact car."

Mac stops, and walks in front of him, standing so that she is facing him. She starts staring at his lips, and begins caressing him with her eyes as she slowly works her way down his body.

He begins putting his leather flight jacket on, thinking he needs to cover up whatever spot she is glaring at. He asks, "Did I spill something on me?"

Mac gives him a coy smile, intently studying one spot for a lingering moment, "Not that I can tell."

Her gaze stops a little south of his belt, resisting the urge to reach out with her hand and verify what her eyes are telling her.

Harm, starting to feel a little heated by her scrutiny, inquires, "Then what are you staring at?"

She teases, "I was just trying to see how stiff you really are." She tilts her head to get a different perspective before replying, "However, I don't see any current evidence of that, Flyboy, but it's got potential."

Harm blushes furiously, realizing what she is implying. He groans, "Maaaaaaaccccccccc!"

She chuckles, "Gotcha!"

Harm shakes his head. How he wishes they could go check into their hotel, and just stay there for a few days. Then, she could examine him under closer inspection with her eyes, hands, lips, and every other part of her. Just the mere thought of having her lips caress the most sensitive part of his anatomy is leaving him hot under the collar, despite the brisk temperate outside. He notices her begin to shiver slightly, and says, "C'mon Marine, you are obviously cold. Let's get you in the nice warm car, and go get checked into our rooms."

Mac simply nods in agreement. She can't tell him that her that her shiver is more in anticipation of running her hands up the inside of his thigh, seeing how his member would jerk the closer she got to it. Dang it! She suddenly remembers that she was challenged by those two nitwits back at JAG to see which way it twitches. She has a feeling that she will be too wrapped up in whatever she is doing with Harm at that moment to even consider their challenge. She will just have to find a unique way to figure it out before they become intimate.

Harm insists on driving since he spent enough time in the Bahamas when he was growing up to know how to drive on the opposite side of the road than they do in the states. He chuckles, as he distinctly remembers how much he enjoyed needling Mic about that when they were in Australia. It was by far one of the more enjoyable moments of that blasted trip, not that there were many of them. He doesn't really want to dwell on other parts of it, especially making one of the stupidest mistakes of his life on that ferry. However, if Mac ever offers, "Is that a request?" again, he won't be stupid enough to make the same mistake twice.

He opens her car door, and waits until she is settled, before jogging around to the other side to get in himself.

As he slides into the drivers' seat, and gets himself situated, after fixing the mirrors and the seat, she idly wonders what he would do if she just rested her hand on the upper part of his leg. 'No!' she admonishes herself, 'Harm will have to concentrate on driving, on the wrong side of the street no less, he doesn't need you providing any other distractions.' She leans her head back, and decides they should probably discuss some further aspects of the case, now that it is only the two of them.

Once Harm and Mac have left the base, and are maneuvering the London streets to the hotel, Mac verbalizes a question that has been looming in both their minds since the SecNav mentioned the multiple incidents. She inquires, "Harm, do you think we should tell Captain Johnson about the other incidents across the Navy?"

Harm thinks about this for a moment, "I'm not really sure, Mac. You spent a little more time with the man than I did on our last trip, so you probably have a better read on his personality than I do. Do you really think he could be involved in this mess?"

Mac shakes her head, "I highly doubt it, but even though he doesn't seem like the type, I don't know if we should really lay everything out at the beginning. I think I would like to dig a little further into the investigation before we reveal all our cards." She adds, teasing him a bit, "And you're right, you couldn't be objective on the man. He let you have an unscheduled trip in the front seat of your favorite toy! That automatically gives him a leg up in your mind."

Harm replies to her needling first, "Hey! Just because the guy let me fly a Tomcat, it doesn't give him my automatic seal of approval. I am perfectly capable of being objective!"

Mac simply chuckles, sometimes it is so easy to goad Harm.

Harm rolls his eyes, and gets back to business, "Although I'm not a fan of keeping a superior officer in the dark, there are times when you have to keep your mouth shut because said superior officer would be required to act on the material you provide. I once had a case where I possessed personal knowledge about a person killed in the line of duty that was in line for a medal. The information I had could have caused them not to receive said medal. I declined to pass the data I knew on to my Commanding Officer because they would have been required to report it. I think it's all a judgement call. In that case, I proposed my course of action to my superior as a hypothetical situation so that I could get their read on it, and he relied on my intuition to do what I felt was right. If we get to a point in our investigation where we need to bring the Captain up to speed on the other incidents, we could possibly approach this case the same way."

Mac agrees, "That's not a bad approach to take. I don't remember this other case you are talking about. Where was I? Is that when I was working at Dalton's firm?"

Harm cautiously responds, "No. You were defense counsel in the inquiry, I was prosecution. The case never went to court-martial."

Mac thinks back for a moment, usually she is the one prosecuting and Harm is the one defending when they go up against each other. The case that first comes to mind is the one they were talking about the night of her engagement party. She asks, "The fraternization case?"

Harm replies, "No, much earlier than that."

Mac goes quiet for a few more minutes before exclaiming, "Do you mean the one where you shot up the courtroom?"

Harm cringes, "Of all the things you have to remember! You are never going to let that one go, are you?"

Mac chuckles, "Nope, and neither will anyone else at JAG. It's kind of one of those stories that will go down in history. In fact, I'm sure they have even included it in the curriculum at the Academy AND Naval Justice school as an example of what NOT to do!"

Harm shakes his head, "I think I will have to check on that to make sure they include the part about Marines taking cover, not ducking!"

Mac gives him a cold stare, "They already cover that in basic training at Parris Island, thank you very much! They just don't teach the Navy all of the tricks they teach Marines."

Harm smiles, "That's because the Navy doesn't need tricks, we are inherently smarter."

Mac provides an exasperated, "Hmmph," before asking, "So was that the case?"

Harm answers matter of factly, "I'm sorry, Mac, I can't tell you."

She raises an eyebrow, "You don't remember?"

Harm says, "I remember, I just can't tell you."

Mac gets frustrated, her brows knitting together, before understanding dawns on her, "That's why you dropped the prosecution. You found something that would have disparaged the memory of the Seal that was killed, and that information would have prevented him from receiving the Navy Cross."

Harm glances directly at her for just a moment, and the pain etched in his eyes is the only answer she needs.


	27. 27: Can't Even Catch A Break in the Car

**Chapter 27: Can't Even Catch A Break in the Car**

* * *

Mac leans towards Harm and rests her hand over his that is resting on the gear shift, and moves the other to lightly squeeze his outer thigh. Not meant to arouse, but to comfort, "I'm sorry that you had to go through that, Harm. Sometimes in this job we see and hear things we wish we could forget."

Harm nods in silent understanding. The case of Annie and Darlynn Lewis standing at the forefront of what he wishes he could forget. Of all the violent things he has seen in his line of work, the abuse and murder of children hits him the absolute hardest. They are just innocent young souls who have barely started their own adventures before someone comes and takes it away. He marvels at the fact that the beautiful woman he is sitting next to had to experience some of that hatred as a child, and rose above it to become the wonderful woman that she is today.

Before he can offer any words of gratitude, his musings are interrupted as Mac's cell begins ringing. She promptly answers, "MacKenzie."

The young man on the other end clears his throat before speaking, "This is Lance Corporal Finley at the London Field Office. I'm sorry to bother you Ma'am, but Admiral Chegwidden's yeoman just called figuring that you and the Commander would still be here. Since you aren't, he is wondering if you have reached your hotel yet?"

The Colonel replies, "Not yet Corporal." She looks to Harm who places his hand up with all fingers spread indicating five minutes. She continues, "My partner tells me that it should be about five more minutes until we reach our destination, and we will need a few minutes extra to check in and get settled."

Finley replies, "I got it, Colonel. I'll call the Petty Officer back and let him know that he can expect you to call within the next half hour."

Mac asks, "Did Tiner say what he needed?"

The Corporal answers, "I believe he has your flight itinerary leaving out of London to Germany tonight. He also mentioned that the Admiral has some additional documentation for your case, but he didn't provide any particulars."

Mac sighs, all she wanted to do was catch a few winks. Unfortunately, duty doesn't sleep. She states, "Did Tiner specify whether the information was classified?"

The Corporal furrows his brows, "Uh no Ma'am. I didn't think to ask."

Mac pinches the bridge of her nose between her index fingers, these young newbies don't think about all the pertinent information that they need to ask. If they hadn't trained Tiner so well, he wouldn't know either. Now if they could just get him to learn how to brew a proper cup of coffee, the office management would be near perfect. She states, "Please verify it with him when you call him back. We can VPN into the NIPRNET from the hotel room, but if we need a SIPRNET connection, we will need to come back to the office."

Finley responds smartly, "Got it, Colonel. I'll call you back once I have received the information."

Mac answers, "Don't worry about it. I'll call him when we have checked in and can get a connection. Just let him know to be expecting my call once we are settled in."

Harm and Mac arrive at the hotel, and get checked in. With their room assignments in hand, ever the gentleman, Harm escorts Mac to her room. They are both located on the fourth floor, but adjacent rooms were not available, much to Harm's dismay. Since they won't be here more than a few hours, he rationalizes that it doesn't really matter. He just wants to spend a little time alone with her before they have to fly out to the carrier.

On the ride up on the elevator, Harm remarks, "It's been a long night and day already. Would you like to order some room service before we call Tiner? I have it on good authority that this Marine tends to like to eat on a regular basis."

Mac laughs, "I am hungry. I'll take a cursory glance at the menu and then you can go down and grab the food while I get the computer set up. I have a feeling that Tiner is only the first stop and fully believe we will be transferred to the Admiral for the actual case information."

Mac steps into her room, and drops her sea bag next to the bed with a thud. Harm is standing in the doorway, hesitantly, wanting to go into the room, but at the same time knowing that he shouldn't. He isn't sure that if he touches her that he will be able to stop himself from taking it somewhere they can't go while they are on the clock. Mac runs her hands through her hair in frustration, the flight and the subsequent morning that they have had catching up to her. She sits on the bed with a deep sigh and tells Harm, "You don't have to stand there, Harm, you can come in."

Harm says, "There is nothing I would like more, Mac, but you know that is a bad idea. Who knows where the SecNav has eyes and ears here? If our rooms were adjoining it would be one thing, but they aren't. Let me go drop my bag off in my own room while you peruse the menu."

Mac nods at his assessment, "I understand Harm, but we still need to call Tiner as requested. It will take me a few minutes to set the laptop up. Would you rather see if they have a business meeting room available?"

Harm replies, "You get connected here, I will call down to the front desk from my room to see if they have a contained business space that will allows us internet connection and privacy. If not, we will just have to sit at the desk in here with the door ajar. The guys who made these reservations obviously don't understand what kinds of accommodations JAG Officers need to investigate a case."

Mac nods, "After our conversation(s) and FOOD, if we have a chance, I really think I need to crash for about an hour or so. You know very well that I can survive on very little sleep, but with us on another flight later today, we might have to hit the ground running as soon as we are off the COD. So much for catching any of the sights in London."

Harm chuckles, "Yeah, I was looking forward to trying to make the palace guards move. I've heard that they are perfect statutes and barely anything fazes them from their stoic stances. I'm not going to change yet until we know if we have to head back to the base or not. I'll go do a little reconnaissance on our accommodations and get back here in about ten minutes."

Mac is already pulling out her ethernet cable, laptop, and CAC reader to get set up. She says, "I'll be here. I'll leave the door open, so just push when you are back."

Harm heads over to the door, and casts a wistful look her way. She smiles, "I know, Harm. But soon, ok?"

He nods as he picks his seabag up to traipse down the hall to his own room.


End file.
